Revolver
by SinidyDA
Summary: See a somewhat softer side of the sexy hard ass Daryl Dixon. Season 1.
1. Gwen

Revolver

Okay this is the exact same story line of TWD. BUT only with Gwen (Daryl's girlfriend) added to it. Please don't hut or hate me for doing this but i just wanna spice it up a bit. Don't worry he will still remain the same hard ass. I wont make him a softy just yet, at least not until season 3. **I don't own any right to the original scrip lines from the characters. They are just added on their. Gwen is the only character that's mine. **Hope you enjoy it:)

_Setting- Days Gone Bye_

Chapter 1 Gwen

Gwen's POV: The three of us where in the kitchen, gathering anything else we could take with us on the road. After hearing about a possible outbreak of an infection. Daryl and Merle wasted no time in preparing for Armageddon if it came down to it. They got the truck ready. Merle loaded his bike on the back. In the bike he packed all his first class pills of all sort. Any pain you had he had the pills for it. But knowing Merle would never give up a single pill for any stranger. He was a greedy basterd like that.

"I'm taking this baby with me" Merle holds up a machete that looked about as long as my arms. He puts it down on the table and looks at me. Shouldn't you be packing stuff instead of standing their looking pretty?"

He opens the cabinets. "Get to it little Gwen".

I hated when he called me that. Just cuz I was smaller than the two, Merle always gave me shit about it. Daryl ignored everything and heads outside getting Merle's attention.

"Merle. Get you ass out hear" Merle looks at me.

"Make yourself useful would ya" and then heads out the door. What a prick he was. I head to the cabinets and grab what ever canned food we had witch wasn't much. I put what I could in a backpack. I look around to see what else I could take with us until my eyes connected with the machete. The beauty of this deadly weapon mesmerized me. I grab it and walk up to a near by mirror. For some reason I began checking myself out while slightly dancing with the machete to some faint rock music I was hearing in the other room. We had it on to keep our minds off the broadcast we heard earlier on the radio or at least I did anyway. I see my body slimly move back and forth with the giant knife. I begin to see myself dancing more and more like a porn star. I'm sure if Daryl saw me, he get turned on. Now Merle on the other hand would be a different story. Knowing him, he'll try to do some unspeakable things to me. He was such an asshole. More than Daryl was at times. Its why I never felt safe around him.

I stop my gazing and dancing in the mirror and walk to a window. I stare out into the beautiful, peaceful nature that Daryl, Merle and I lived by. It be a beautiful place to raise a child. Well at least it would have been. But knowing that Daryl doesn't have the patients for kids and with Merle always around messing with his mind. I don't see me having a family with him in the future or even at all.

My train of thought was broken by gunfire. I jump at the second fire. I began to hear more and more fire. That's when I knew something was wrong. I run to my room and grab my gun. I head to the front door. I see our neighbors shooting at what looked like people. Others were getting attacked and eaten. It must have been the infected people. I was in shock at the horrific scene that was taking place right in front of my eyes.

"Gwen!" I hear Daryl's voice yell. I run to the back of the house where I heard him.

"Daryl!" And just like that, no sign of him. I steady myself and look around slowly. "Daryl?" I was still able to hear the screams and gunfire outside. But in the house was dead silent. I was about to peek through a corner when he comes bursting through.

"Come on. We need to get the hell out of hear."

"The infected people have reached hear."

"I fucking know, lets just go." We hear the front door open as one of the infected begins stumbling towards us making groaning sounds. Daryl pulls out his crossbow and shoot it in the head. The thing instantly collapses.

"Lets go." he tells me. I look towards the table and see the machete that Merle was looking at earlier. I quickly grab it and follow Daryl outside to the truck. Daryl practically throws me inside the truck as he quickly got in himself. I look behind us and see more of those dead people walking around the house and eating others.

"Wait what about the others?"

"Fuck them. Their dead anyways." Merle yells back at me as he sped off hitting more of those dead walkers.

* * *

I wake up with my heart beating fast. It was another dream of where I was when the world was coming to an end. I was just grateful that I was with Daryl when it all went down. I hear voices and noises outside the tent. Shit! I must of slept in. I get out and see that everyone was already awake.

"Morning sleeping beauty." The first person I saw was Amy.

"Did I really sleep in for that long?"

"Well, a little longer than usual." Ever since me, Daryl, and Merle meet up with Shane's group. We figured it be nice to stay with a larger group or at least that's what i thought. Amy and I became decent friends. Everyone else was just kinda their. I began to help Amy with hanging the laundry.

"I had another dream."

"About what?"

"Of where I was when the world went to shit." she sighs

"If only it was all a dream. I try to tell myself that. But every morning I wake up and see where we are, makes room for little to no hope." I knew she was right but didn't want it to bother me. I look around the camp.

"Have you seen Daryl?"

"Um I think I heard him saying something to Merle about he was going hunting?" I nod. Not long after, we finish hanging the damp clothes.

"I'll see you around." I get up to leave when she stops me.

"Wait theirs a group about to head into the city. My sister is going. Glenn, T-Dog, Morales, and Merle." I look at her with a bit of sigh of relief. I didn't want him near me without Daryl.

"Aren't you going with them?"

"Huh, hum. I feel a little noshes I think its best to sit this one out. I don't wanna slow the team down." i lied.

"But Andrea will be the only girl their out of four guys. I'm sure she feel better if she had your backup. So would I. Please Gwen."

"Amy believe me I would love to go and help them. But I cant go if I'm not at my best." I saw the disappointment in her

"I guess your right."

* * *

I walk a few distance away from the camp to take a pee, bringing my machete with me in case any walker sneaks up on me. I hear a crack nearby. Knowing it can be a walker, I ready my machete and slowly and quietly begin to make my way up to the camp. Their was the dead silence once again. Like the calming before the storm. I turn around and bump into Merle.

"Merle! What are you doing hear, sneaking up on me like that?" I saw an unpleasant smile on him. He slowly began backing me into a tree.

"You know little Gwen, you've been catching my eye lately. The only reason I haven't been able to do anything Is `cause Daryl has been constantly protecting your sweet ass." he looks around "and now that he's not hear. Well, I can do just about anything to ya."

"Um, Merle don't you have to leave with the group?" he smirks. I didn't like it. I didn't like were any of this was going.

"I have time to spare." he backs me right up into a tree and aggressively grabs my arms, forcing me to drop the machete. He begins to roughly kiss me and makes his way down to my neck.

"Merle stop!" I try to fight him off but he was just to powerful for me. The more I fought him the more he forced himself on me. He aggressively pulls my clothes off and throws me to the ground. I was beyond scared, this was far worse than fighting or killing a walker. It wasn't long before he forced himself in me. I struggled as much as I could to get free but it was no use. I wanted to scream for help but, Nearby walkers could hear and enter the camp. And two, he had his hand over me and would just kick my ass even harder.

After three minutes of sheer terror and hurt. He whispered into my ear.

"If you mention any of this to Daryl. I will kill ya. Don't think I wont." He left me on the ground with a broken spirit and left on his way with the team off to Atlanta. As if nothing happened. I laid on the ground for a while trying to bring myself together after what had just happened. I suck it up and get my clothes on. In a way, I guess what Merle did to me, made me stronger on the inside. As if I wasn't a tough bitch already, this rape just might have been what i needed to get rid of any fear i had left in me.

* * *

I get back to the camp and notice a lot of anticipation among the group. I see Amy by the radio trying to contact who ever is on the other line. I didn't hear much of what was going on, just a bunch of mumble. Before I knew it I see Lori walk away pissed off and Shane following behind. I didn't want anyone to notice me all shook up. So I try to play it normal. I walk up to Amy to see what was going on.

"What's going on?"

"We just heard someone trying to get through."

"Did you get anything?"

"No. We lost the signal."

"Well at least we know there are others out their. Its not just us."

"The best we could do is hope they don't go into the city." Their really wasn't much else to say except hope our team comes back safe. That is everyone except Merle.

"Hay listen I need to go find some mushroom for breakfast. Wanna come with me?"

"Um..."

"You should go with her." I look up at the RV and see Dale looking at me

"She could surely use your protection."

"Sure." She smiles and gets a red bucket.

"Lets go." We walked past the Dixon truck and picked up the machete once again. Following Amy out into the woods.

"Don't go to far girls. Stay with in shouting distance." I hear Dale yell out. All I did was put my arm up to let him know we heard him.

"Dale can get under my skin sometimes I swear." she tells me. "He's like an over protective dad, uncle. What ever you want to call him" she add. I slightly laugh.

"I seriously have little patients for him. I wonder how you and Andrea put up with him." As she was explaining how and why. My mind began to wonder. In a weird way. Amy has become one of my only friends hear. Sure she's younger than be by quite a few years. But me and her seem to mingle pretty damn well. Their where others among the group closer to my age. But non seem to wanna speak with me.

"Hay Amy, I have a question."

"Shoot."

"Has anyone around the camp said anything about me?" she looks at me funny

"Like what?"

"Well I don't know. They don't seem like they wanna talk to me. Every time I try, they just make the conversation short and leave, like if they're avoiding me. I don't get why."

"Oh, well from what I've heard. Their intimidated by you." I chuckle at her answer.

"Intimidated? Why?"

"Well come on. They know your with Daryl, and lets face it he's not exactly Prince Charming or the nicest guy on camp. And your our only fighting girl we got."

"He's nicer than Merle that's for damn sure." I counter

"Theirs another reason why they avoid you." She added, I was confused.

"Why `Cause of Merle?"

"Well that and `cause your a hot head like the Dixon's."

"I'll admit that my Daryl is not exactly a night in shining armor. But he is to me. If it wasn't for him when the walkers hit our house. I'd be dead right now. Come one I aint that bad am I"? she looks at me ans shakes her head.

"No. Not to me anyway. But to Lorie and the others. I can see a slight fear in them. I over heard Lorie talking to Shane a couple days ago that she doesn't feel safe if you where to cover her." I was a bit amazed to what Amy just said.

"If she don't trust me than that's her damn problem." Amy and I continue to look for the mushrooms as we talked more about other stuff. Little things that we took advantage of when the world was still in one piece.


	2. Worry

Revolver

_So sorry that this chapter is super short. Their was nothing much i could put into it, but i promise chapter 3 will be better and longer. Again the new character Gwen is my own character that i put into the story. She is not from the original story line. Sorry if i didn't make clear in the previous chapter. Again i'm not trying to change Daryl's character at all. i'm just trying to see what would it be like in a different perspective._

Chapter 2 Worry

The day dragged on slowly. I was laying on the bed of our truck looking up at the cloudy sky. It looked and smelled like it was gonna rain. I began to noticed that Amy was becoming more and more impatient. She was getting worried about Andrea. I don't blame her. The group has been gone for a while now. So has Daryl. He's been on this hunting trip for a while now. I sure wish he come back before Merle.

I hear the radio come on and off. Once again everybody gathered around to see what or who was trying to come through.

"T-Dog repeat that last part" Dale was trying to get through to T-dog but with shitty ass reception was nearly impossible. Ugh what ever I tried ignoring all the commotion that the radio stirred up among the group.

* * *

"So where just gonna leave her their"? Amy was arguing with someone

"She's my sister you son-of-a-bitch" I hear her yell and run past the truck. I lean up and look behind me to see who she was arguing with. Shane. Why wasn't I surprised. I might as well go see what's wrong with her.

"Amy, you okay"?, she shakes her head.

"yeah, its just that Shane can be a real dick sometimes" I sat down next to her.

"what he say"?

"well I'm beginning to worry that Andrea hasn't returned with the others. I'm wondering why. Then Shane begins to tell me that their not coming back. He was pretty much telling me that she could be dead and to get over it" I see a tear slip her eye.

"hay don't worry. They'll make it back. They got Glenn. And we both know that he always comes back".

Before she could answer we hear the thunder. The smell of rain in the air became more heavier. I hear Lori come up to us. Really? I didn't like dealing with her. Let alone be around her.

"well ima head back to my tent" I get up and left as Lori sat down next to Amy.

I sat on the back of the truck once again. I looked at my machete and figured since theirs nothing to do for now but wait for the others. I look at my machete and thought, might as well sharpen this killer beauty. A few minutes into the sharpening I see Amy walking up to me. Geez doesn't this girl get tired of me?

"Gwen I've been meaning to ask you. How dose someone like you end up dating a guy like Daryl?" This was the first time I ever got this question.

"I mean he doesn't seem to like anyone except for you. And you just seem to nice to be with him. I just wanna know how it works" Seeing that she was one of my close friends, she deserved to know.

"Well we sort of ran into each other one day. It wasn't love at first sight that's for sure. At first we kept butting heads on everything. And I do mean on everything. Eventually our bickering bloomed into a relationship in a twisted way" I saw the confused look an her.

"We where having an argument about something. Eventually I accidentally told and told him that I liked him"

"how did he take it"?

"He did find it a little shocking. It did take a long time tough for him to get conferrable with his feelings. Most of the time I had to pick at it, to even get him to say anything. But we did hook up eventually. He's still the same hot headed redneck though."

"how long ago did you guys get together"?

"three years ago. In a way I think he fell in love with me way before I said anything. I could be wrong but I guess he was lonely for a very long time before he meet me. That he just needed someone to hold and someone to love him back. I was that someone. Don't get me wrong we still don't agree on everything and he still doesn't like to get that touchy around other people. But its a lot better then when we first met". She looks at me with a warming look.

"that's quite an interesting love story". We hear the thunder again and feel that it begins to drizzle. I look around and see everyone scramble to cover up any valuable stuff. Amy looks up at Dale.

"how long will it last"?

"clouds don't look to heavy, should pass by quick. Nothing to serious". She looks back at me

"ima go hid from the rain" and takes off. I didn't quite get why people ran away from the rain. I enjoyed it. So I just sat in the back of the truck and continued to sharpen my machete. But as soon as the rain came, it had gone. It was sunny before I knew it. Just another day in paradise.


	3. Back And Leaving

Revolver

**I don't own any right to the original scrip lines from the characters. They are just added on their. Gwen is the only character that's mine.**

_Setting: Tell It To The Frogs_

Chapter 3 Back And Leaving

The camp was quiet. Everybody was doing their own thing but it was still dead quiet. I heard Shane talking to Carl and Lori something about frog legs and eating Miss Piggy. It wasn't long before I faintly began hearing what sounded like a car alarm getting closer and closer. The noise began to get everyone's attention. And again they all begin to crowd around. Pff. This group is nothing but followers. They just follow each other around.

"talk to me Dale." Shane demands "cant tell yet"

"is it them"? Amy getting he hopes up. Their was a slight silence, everyone was waiting on Dale to answer.

"My god. Stolen car is my guess." Dale lowers his binoculars. Shortly after a red challenger shows up with the alarm still going off.

Everybody crowds around Glenn as he gets off. "turn that darn thing off!" Dale yells over the alarm "I don't know how."

"open the hood" Shane adds.

"where is Andrea? Is she okay? Why isn't she with you? What happened?" Amy kept persisting.

"She's okay she's fine. Everyone is." Someone manages to unplug the alarm.

"You trying to attract every walker near by?" Shane begins to get pissy "well with all the trees and mountains around its hard to pinpoint the source." Shane gives Dale an irritated look "I'm not arguing I'm just saying."

"I got a cool car" Glenn tries to lighten the mood.

Shortly a white loading truck pulls up behind the challenger. Andrea, Jaquie and T-Dog jump out of the back.

"Amy?"

"Andrea!". Amy and Andrea run to each other as if they just got reunited after a war. Morales was the net to get off. His family ran to him, happy to see him.

"How did you guys get out?" Dale questioned.

"New guy. He got us out. Hay helicopter boy." Morales called out to someone new that they have Found. Another survivor. It was always a good feeling to find more survivors.

A man in a police uniform slowly makes his way up to everyone. He suddenly stops and is in shock to what he sees. I look around wondering what the hell was going on. "DAD!" I look over to Carl and see him and Lori running to the new member of the group. The three run to each other and hug, relief to see that one another is still alive. A miracle that happened in this tragedy apocalypse. The whole group looked at them knowing it was a magical moment. A family reunited. Shane himself was happy to see this new man alive. They must of known each other before all this happened. I look back at the truck they came in. Everyone that had left came back….except Merle. Their was no sign of him. I didn't know whether to be relived that he was no where to be seen or be concerned. What will Daryl think of it? I guess when he comes back tomorrow we'll all know.

* * *

It was night time. We all gathered around the camp fire. I sat on a rock a few inches away from everyone else. I stuck close to Amy and Andrea, seeing as they where the only ones I somewhat knew. Rick, the new guy spoke about how he felt when he was trying to find his family. "disoriented. I guess that's what comes closest. Disoriented. Fear, confusion….all those things but…".

As he continued to speak about what he has encountering before entering the city. I couldn't help but wonder what is Daryl gonna do when he finds out that Merle is not back with the others. They haven't explained or even said a word about it ever since they been back. Since I was originally suppose to go with them. I hope Daryl doesn't chew my ass out as to why I didn't go. Or why I don't know why he's not back.

My conversations was broken by Ed throwing another long is his fire pit area. Everyone went silent.

"Hay Ed, you want to rethink that log?"

Since Shane was somewhat the leader of the group, he took charge of shit that went out of line. Such as Ed, Merle and even Daryl on numerous occasions.

"its could, man"

"The could don't change the rules, dose it? Keep our fires low, Just embers, so we cant be seen from a distance, right?"

"I said its could. You should mind your own business for once."

I see Shane get irritated and gets up to talk to him. I couldn't hear anything. But I saw Carol take out the log and sit back down. I felt bad for her. I don't know why she puts up with Ed. He's such an abusive asshole. Shane comes back to join the group. I see Dale lean forward "Have you given any thought to Daryl Dixon? He wont be happy to hear his brother got left behind."

"I'll tell him. I dropped the key. Its on me." T-Dog says with uncertainty.

"I cuffed him. That makes him mine." Rick debates.

"Guys its not a competition. I don't mean to bring race into this, but it might sound better coming from a white guy" Glenn looks at T-Dog. He was right about that.

"I did what I did. Hell if I'm gonna hide from him." T-Dog had an unsettling look on his face. Almost of disappointment on himself. Amy looks at me.

"Gwen, why don't you tell him?"

"I wasn't their. I don't know what happened. I'm not gonna lie to him."

"well we could lie."

"or just tell the truth. Merle was out of control. Something had to be done or he'd have gotten us killed. Your husband did what was necessary. And if Merle got left behind, it is nobody's fault but Merle's" Andrea points out the truth.

"And that's what we tell Daryl? I don't see a rational discussion to be had from that, do you? Word to the wise….Where gonna have our hands full when he gets back from this hunt" Dale objects.

I hated it when he did. It was kinda annoying how right he always was. "I was scared and I ran. I'm not ashamed of it" T-Dog says with a very low voice that we were barely able to hear.

"We where all scared, we all ran. What's your point?" Andrea didn't sound ashamed of what had happened ether.

"I stopped long enough to chain that door. Stair case is narrow. Maybe half a dozen geeks can squeeze against it at any one time. Its not enough to break through that…not that chain, not that padlock. My point…..Dixon's alive and he's still up their, handcuffed on that roof. That's on us." T-Dog gets up and leaves.

Fuck! he was right. If anything, where the ones to blame for Merle's absence.

I head back to my tent and try to get some sleep. In a way I was glad Daryl was coming back tomorrow, but then again I still had that wondering feeling. As to what he'll think about Merle being gone. I guess, tomorrow will determine that.

* * *

It was the next morning. I woke up to help with the laundry. It was always part of the morning routine for the girls. Wake up, clean around the camp, do laundry if needed, make breakfast for the camp. All that. Its like if we where back in the olden days. I for one hated it. I was no fucking house wife. I was more of one of the guys who helped keep the camp safe. I hear a loud engine roar come up to the camp. It was Shane with the water.

"water is hear yall. Just a reminder to boil before use."

Oh look another thing the girls have to do. FML. It wasn't long before we all hear the kids screaming for their parents. All the men plus Lorie took off to where the screams where coming from. I was about to leave with them when Shane stops me.

"Stay hear in case anyone comes up."

Shane demands me to stay. Are you kidding me. Why do I have to stay. I wanna go out and kill some walkers if their out their. Not stay hear and protect the weak. I waited patiently for everyone to come back, everyone was. Looking to the direction they had left. I figured waiting wasn't gonna speed up the time. Its more than likely to slow it down. I sit back down by our tent.

"Everything is gonna be fine guys." I tell the ones that are still waiting around.

A few minutes passed by when I finally hear Daryl's voice. YES he's come back. Then again he always does. Cuz he was that much of a badass. "Merle, get your ugly ass out hear. I brought us some squirrel" he sees me a node. The thing about Daryl is that he didn't like being touchy with me around people. He didn't want them to mistaken his love for weakness.

"Hay babe"

"Hay" I say back "Merle?" he continues walking. I see the rest come up to the camp.

"Daryl, hold up for a sec I wanna talk to you" Shane stops him. Daryl looks around and sees everyone looking at him.

"About what?"

"About Merle. Well you see, theirs been a problem in Atlanta". I see Daryl's expression darken. He looks down.

"He dead?"

"We'll where not sure yet."

"He either he is or he ain't." I hear his voice raise. I stood up to make sure everything goes smoothly. But with Daryl nothing usually does.

"Their ain't no easy way to say this, so I'm just gonna flat out say it." Rick comes in

"Who are you?" Daryl looks at him with a bit disgust.

"Rick Grimes."

"Rick Grimes? You got something you wanna tell me?" Shit, this wasn't going good.

"Your brother was a danger to us all, So I handcuffed him on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still their." I saw rage and tears come out Daryl's eyes. He quickly covers them with his hand.

"Hold on. Let me posses this. Your saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof, and you left him their?!" Rick looks down. As if he wasn't proud of what he did.

"Yeah." The rage in Daryl exploded as he tossed the squirrels at him and charge at him. He misses by landing on the ground but quickly pulls out his knife on them "watch the knife" I warn Rick. Daryl swings his knife a couple times before being tackled to the ground by Shane. I run to them trying to help calm the situation.

"Babe calm down."

"Best listen to her." Shane grunts from his struggle with Daryl.

"You best let me go!" he ignores me.

"Nah, I think its better if I don't."

"Choke holding's illegal."

"Yeah you can file a complaint". Daryl was still struggling to get lose "Come on now, we can keep this up all day."

I try to look at him "Babe if you just give the man a chance to explain." I see Rick lean down next to me.

"I'd like to have a calm discussion on this topic. Do you think we can manage that?" Daryl says nothing. "DO you think we can manage that?" he repeats himself.

"Just hear him out." I add. He looks at me and nodes once. Shane finally lets him go.

"What I did was not on a whim. Your brother does not work and play well with others."

"Its not Rick's fault" the three of us look over at T-Dog.

"I had the key, I dropped it."

"You couldn't pick it up?"

"well, I dropped it in a drain". Daryl grunts a bit more and shuffles to his feet. Me and Rick do the same.

"If its suppose to make me feel better it don't."

"Maybe this will. Look, I chained the door to the roof so the geeks couldn't get at him with a padlock."

"Its gotta count for something." Rick adds. I see Daryl cover his face with the back of his hand, covering the tears.

"Hell with all y'all. Just tell me where he is, so's I can go get him."

"He'll show you." everyone looks at Lori by the RV "Isn't that right." we all look back at Rick.

"I'm going back." Daryl gives him a dirty look and walks away.

"I'm going with you" I tell Rick.

"That's very brave of you but I think it be best you stay hear with the others."

"I wasn't asking. I was telling. I know Daryl and Merle better than you. You'll need my help" he nodes and walks away.

* * *

After the discussion about Merle. Daryl and I where by our truck. "Why are you coming?" he asks looking for something.

"Cuz he's you brother, and I wanna help you find him. Tell you the truth I ain't got nothing better to do anyway." He get's out the truck with a red rag, staring me down.

"Don't expect me to slow down just cuz your with me." He closes the door and begins to walk away. Before he got to far I grab his arm, stopping him. He looks back at me.

"You should know out of all people that I'm just as good of a fighter as you, Shane, any man around hear. I don't need ya to slow down for me." He looks at me for a bit before walking away to clean his arrows.

I look over at Andrea who was just a few feet way from me. I saw that she had just heard mine and Daryl's little conversation.

"What?" I smile

"Your relationship with him, its quite interesting."

"Ho trust me, theirs been uglier stuff then what you just saw."

"I'm sure their has."

"So you, Daryl and Gwen. That's your big plan?" I hear Lori say who was not far from me. It kind of annoyed me. Was she trying to be sarcastic about it. As in really that's all you got type thing. Rick turns around to look at Glenn.

"Ugh come on." he complains.

"You know the way. You been their before, in and out no problem. You said so yourself. Its not fair of me to ask, I know that. But I'd feel a lot better with you their. I know she would too." He looks back at Lori.

Shane then interferes "That's just great. Now your gonna risk three men and a woman huh?"

"Four men, and a woman." T-Dog adds. Daryl looks at him and huffs "My day just gets better and better don't it?"

"You see anybody else hear stepping up to save your brothers cracker ass?"

"Why you?"

"You wouldn't even begin to understand. You don't speak my language."

"That's five" Dale announces.

"Its not just five. Your putting every single one of us at risk. Just know that Rick. Come on you saw that walker. It was hear. It was in camp, they're moving out of the cities. They come back, we need every able body we've got. We need em hear. We need em to protect camp" Shane seems to be against this whole ordeal of us going back. I was beginning to get a little concerned myself. A walker in camp? So that was all the commotion earlier? That's what i missed. Damn.

"It seems to me what you really need hear, are more guns." I see Glenn remembering about something that must of happened.

"Right, guns."

"Wait. What guns?" Shane asked confused.

"Six shotguns, two high-powered rifles, over a dozen handguns. I cleaned out the cage back at the station before I left. I dropped the bag in Atlanta when I got swarmed. Its just sitting their on the street."

"Ammo?"

"700 rounds, assorted." Did I just hear 700 rounds? Shit that's just what we need.

"You went through hell to find us. You just got hear and your gonna turn around and leave?" Lori objected. Are you for real. Why does she always have to complain about everything.

"Dad, I don't want you to go" Carl added.

"To hell with guns. Shane is right. Merle Dixon? He's not worth one of your lives, even with guns thrown in." Lori gets up "Tell me. Make me understand." Rick begins mumbling something to her about a man and a boy. My mind begins to wonder. As much as Lori annoys the fuck out of me. She's right in a way. Merle really ain't worth risking our own lives. But I'm only doing this for Daryl. If they weren't related. I swear to god I wouldn't even be going.

"So use the CB. What's wrong with that?" I hear Andrea say next to me.

"The CB's fine. it's the walkies that suck to crap date back to the 70's, don't match any other bandwidth, not even the scanners in our cars." Shane explains something about walkies. Rick looks back at Lori.

"I need that bag". She finally gives in. He walks over to his son and knees down. Pretty much telling him that he's going no matter what. I see Carl node.

Twenty minuets or so, we open the back of the truck. Daryl, Glenn and I get on to wait for Rick and T-Dog. Glenn sits in the drivers seat. I sat on the passenger seat with my machete to talk to him for a bit.

"So how bad did it get in Atlanta?" I ask him.

"Bad enough that I tough we weren't gonna make it out of their alive."

"No one is forcing you to go Short Round. I can do this on my own." Glenn looked at Daryl.

"I kinda have to. Rick is asking me to go. Its only cuz I know my way around."

I look at Daryl and see walk back and forth like a caged tiger. He finally lose his patients. He swings his foot to the steering wheel, nearly kicking Glenn in the face. He honks the horn with his foot.

"Come on lets go!" he yells out to Rick and T-Dog. They make their way up to the truck. T-Dog hops on.

"Got some bolt cutters for the door lock and the handcuffs." T looks at us.

"Thanks." I tell him. Rick makes his way to the front, so I hop to the back and sit right behind Rick's seat, putting my knees up. T-Dog sits behind Glenn and Daryl closes the back as Glenn begins to drive his way back to Atlanta.

A while into the ride, Daryl pasts back and forth for a bit again before finally settling down next to me. He holds his crossbow close on his left hand and rests his right on my knee.

"He'd better be okay. Its my only word on the matter." Daryl warns T-Dog.

"I told you the geeks cant get to him. The only thing that's gonna get through that door is us." We feel the truck come to a stop. Glenn looks at everyone.

"We walk from hear." We all get up and make our way out the truck. Daryl hops off with me behind and T-Dog to follow. We catch up to Glenn and Rick and begin to jog our way into the city.

"So much for walking right Glenn?" He smiles at the joke I made.

* * *

It wasn't long when we reach a fence. T-Dog cuts open a gap in the fence for all of us to get through. Rick turns around.

"Merle first or guns?"

"Merle! We ain't even having this conversation!" Daryl objects.

"We are." he looks at Glenn.

"You know the geography. Its your call."

"Merle's closest. The gun's would mean doubling back. Merle first"

Glenn leads us in a building. The same one they had escaped with Rick. We enter to what looks like a small boutique store. Rick points out a what was a female walker for Daryl to take out quietly with his crossbow. He approches it and looks at it in disgust.

"Damn. You one ugly skank" and nails her in the head. He retrieves his arrow.

"We go up stairs now." Glenn leads us to a stair well and make our way up.

The further we got up, the more I saw Daryl get anxious. We reach the top. T-Dog gets in front of us and cuts the pad lock. Without hesitation. Daryl kicks open the door.

"Merle! Merle!" we all follow out on the roof. I follow Daryl down a few steps.

"Oh my god". I was stunned by what I saw. Daryl was crushed "No! No!". Merle's hand was the only thing that was remaining. Laying in a small puddle of blood with a saw blade next to it. I felt like I was gonna puck from the smell of it.


	4. Hostage

Revolver

**I don't own any right to the original scrip lines from the characters. They are just added on their. Gwen is the only character that's mine. **As you will see, i type out almost the entire episode. So it will take some time to post new chapter as i go. Enjoy.

_Setting: Vatos_

Chapter 4 Hostage

After a long intense silence. Daryl calms down or a least its what it looked like. Than in an instant he eyes T-Dog and quickly points his crossbow at him. Before Daryl could shoot. The new guy named Rick points his gun at him.

"Stop! Babe put it down. He's not the blame for this!"

"I wont hesitate. I don't care if every walker in the city hears it.". Rick stares down Daryl. I put my hand on the crossbow and gently try to lower it. After a moment, he does so. Rick lowers his gun as well. I see Daryl trying to clear his tear by constantly blinking. He looks at me then back at T-Dog.

"You got a do-rag or something?" T-Dog pulls out a blue one from his pants and hands it to Daryl. He hands me his crossbow and walks over to Merle's hand and wraps it up in the rag. I was quite stunned myself. I didn't know if Merle was dead or lying in a ditch about to die of blood loss.

"I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs. Ain't that a bitch." He walks over to Glenn and stuff it in his bag. Poor Glenn looked like he was about to vomit himself from the raw smell and the fact that, that raw smell is now on his back.

"He must of used a tourniquet, maybe his belt. Be much more blood if he didn't." I give Daryl back his crossbow and begin to follow Daryl around to the other side of the roof. I look at Glenn as he still looked completely disgusted.

"I could carry the bag if your to disgusted?" He shakes his head.

"Its fine. I'll manage." I look at him unconvinced but brush it off. After all it was his problem if he vomited in the middle of the mission. I speed up and caught up to Daryl. We enter another part of the building that led to a flight of stairs.

"Merle? You in hear?" Their was no answer. So we make our way down the stairs. At the bottom, we go through a door that led back inside the main building. We all split going through different hallways, making it easier to spot any walkers near by. Luckily we did temporarily split. A walker came across mine and Daryl's path. He nails it with his crossbow no problem. We all regroup in a lounge. Daryl spots blood trails and two dead walkers close by.

"Had enough in him to take out these two scumbitches. One handed. Toughest asshole I ever meet, my brother. Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails." I didn't quit get his joke sense of humor at the wrong times. But I kept my mouth shut about it.

"Any man can pass out from blood loss, no matter how tough he is" Rick hisses trying to keep quiet from any other walkers that may be near by. We all continue to walk and eventually enter a kitchen. Their was a strange smell in the air minus the rotting corpses of the dead walkers.

"Merle!" Daryl calls out again.

"We're not alone. Remember?" Rick hisses at him once again. I really don't think these two will ever be on the same page.

"Screw that. He could be bleeding out. You said so yourself." Rick says nothing as we approach some lit stoves. Glenn and I sniff the air.

"What's that smell?" I see Rick lift an iron from the burning flames of the stove. He looks at the substance imbedded on the iron.

"Skin. He cauterized the stump."

"Oh god." I never been so disgusted in my life. The smell the burning flesh. I almost wanted to vomit yet again. I look over at Glenn and see I wasn't the only one about to blow out.

"Told you he was tough. Nobody can kill Merle but Merle."

"Don't take that on faith. He's lost a lot of blood." Rick counters. I see Daryl spot something and begins making his way towards it. The rest of us follow.

"Yeah? Didn't stop him from busting out of this death trap." He stops at a broken window with blood all round. We all approach it.

"He left the building? Why the hell would he do that?" Glenn pokes his head out the busted window looking all around.

"Why wouldn't he? He's out their alone as far as he knows. Doing what he's got to do, surviving." He walks to a nearby door.

"You call that surviving? Just wondering out their in the street maybe passing out. What are his odds out their?"

"He couldn't of gotten far." I look at Daryl. But what T-Dog had mentioned had set off Daryl.

"No worse than being handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks." Glenn and T-Dog look down knowing it was somewhat their fault. Daryl looks at Rick who had approached him.

"You couldn't kill him. Aint so worried about some dead bastard"

"What about 1,000 dumb dead bastards? Different Story?"

"Why don't you take a tally? Do what you want, I'm gonna go find him." Daryl begins walking away when Rick pushes him back, stopping him.

"Daryl, wait"

"Get your hands off me! You can't stop me."

"I don't blame you. He's family I get that. I went through hell to find mine. I know exactly how you feel. He cant get far with that injury. We could help you check a few blocks around but only if we keep a level head." Daryl knew Rick was right. He hated to admit it defeat. He struggled to get out a few words of agreement.

"I could do that." They stared at each other for good few seconds. T-Dog broke the tension.

"Only if we get those guns first. I'm not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, okay?" Everyone looks at each other.

"Looks like we need a plan then." I point out. Rick nods.

"Theirs an office right in hear. Everyone spread out and look for a map." Rick demands. Everyone enters the room. I stop in front of Daryl and grab his hand with my free one.

"We'll find him babe. Like Rick said, he cant get far with one hand. No matter how tough he is." He looks down at me snorts walking into the office room were everyone else is. I tried not to let his rude stubbornness get to me. I shouldn't blame him for being so impatient not knowing if Merle was alive or not. As to why he still cares I didn't get after all the shit Merle always gave him now and even before when we started dating. I personally would of just left him hear. But that was just me, he wasn't my brother.

"I got a different idea" I hear Glenn in the other room say. I go in the room and join them. I see T-Dog sitting on the ground. Glenn and Rick kneeling down and Daryl hunched over. I look down at the floor to were everyone was looking at and see a simple map that Glenn had drawn out.

"Its simple. You guys wait hear and I go down and get the guns. In and out no problem. After all I am the fastest and its less of a hassle."

"You're not doing this alone." Rick protests.

"Even I think it's a bad idea and I don't even like you much." Daryl points out. It was nice to know he didn't completely hat everyone besides me.

"Glenn, No. it's a shitty idea. Why don't we try something different?" I add.

"Its good idea, okay, If you just hear me out. If we go out their in a group, we're slow, drawing attention. If I'm alone, I can move fast." Nobody said anything. Glenn now had the floor. Literally.

"Look. That's the tank, five blocks from where we are now." He point at a white board eraser. He grabs a crumbled piece of paper and puts it a few inches in front of the eraser.

"That's the bag of guns. Here's the alley I dragged you into when we first met. That's where Daryl, Gwen and I will go." He points a space between tow line representing the alley.

"Why us?" Daryl asks a bit confused.

"Your crossbow and her machete is quieter than his gun." Daryl looks at me, then back down at the map to have a closer look.

"While Daryl and Gwen wait in the alley. I run up the street, grab the bag."

"You got us elsewhere?" Rick wonders.

"You and T-Dog, right." Glenn puts an eraser a few squares down from mine and Daryl's microchip icon.

"You'll be in this alley hear."

"Two blocks away? Why?" Rick asks concerned.

"I may not be able to come back the same way. Walkers might cut me off. If that happens, I wont go back to Daryl and Gwen." He point at our little icon.

"I'll go forward instead, all the way around to that alley where you guys are. Witch ever direction I go. I got you in both places to cover me." Rick nodes getting what Glenn was trying to say in the first place.

"Afterwards, we all meet back hear." Daryl looks at the map and up at Glenn.

"Hay, kid, what you do before all this?"

"Deliver pizzas. Why?" It then became clear to everyone as to why Glenn came up with a clever idea and good memory of the streets.

* * *

Me, Daryl and Glenn make our way down the building. Silently the three of us walk down the alley way and stop behind a trash dump. Daryl loads his crossbow. I ready my machete behind him.

"You got some balls for a Chinaman."

"I'm Korean" Glenn corrects him.

"Whatever."

"Shhh!" I tell them. Glenn takes off to the end of the alleyway. Daryl and I kneel down as we see Glenn disappear around the corner.

"I feel like a sissy hiding behind this dump, not doing anything." I look at Daryl

"Where doing this to help you find Merle. Those guns are exactly what we need right now. If we run into a herd were not gonna be able to take them all on with a couple bullets, arrows and machete's. What's gonna happen if we don't get those guns and we run out of the little ammo we have? throw shoes at them?" Daryl was about to argue back when we hear a sound close by. Daryl and I jump out from behind the dump and take aim. Some Mexican looking kid puts his hands up,

"Whoa, don't shoot me! What do you want?"

"Who the fuck are you?" I demand.

"I'm looking for my brother. He's hurt real bad. You seen him?" The kid begins to yell something in Spanish.

"Ayudame!"

"Shut up!" Daryl demands him.

"You're gonna bring the geeks down on us. Now answer the fucking question" I add. The kid says nothing but looks at us, not knowing what to do.

"Answer me." Daryl demands the kid again. I see him shaking, he begins to yell the same word from before, numerous times.

"Ayudame! Ayudame!" This kid was not gonna shut up. One of us needed to do something before he attracted every geek in Atlanta. Daryl closes in on him and knock him down on his back with his crossbow. The kid continues to struggle and tries to scream.

"Shut up. Shut up." Daryl struggles to hold the kid down and keep him quiet. I kneel down to them and help to cover the kids mouth and hold him still. In a few seconds, Daryl and I find ourselves getting kicked down by two older Mexican looking guys. The two then begin to gain up on Daryl kicking him and hitting him with bats. Daryl stood no chance on the ground. Nobody hurts my Daryl. I get up and manage to get one of the guys off Daryl, the heavy fat one. He pins me up against the wall trying to choke me. At the corner of my eye I see Glenn come back in the alley. The slender man looks at Glenn and gets the heavier set man's attention.

"That's it. That's the bag. Vato. Take it! Take it!" The two men go after Glenn. I fall to my knees trying to catch my breath. I see them gain up on Glenn trying to take the bag. I run towards them to help Glenn. Taking them both on now.

"Get off him!" I yell trying to get them to let go of Glenn. The heavy set one gets a hold of me from behind. In an instant he drops me and yells in pain holding his ass. I look over to Daryl and see his crossbow pointed at us. I look up and see the slender man get a lock on Glenn.

"Get off me! Get off me!" He struggles against the bigger man. I hear the engine of a car pull up. Shit, their gonna take the guns. I grab the bag and try to run towards Daryl's direction.

"Grab the girl Vato!" One of them yells. I than feel my hair get aggressively pulled from the back. I then feel getting dragged back by someone.

"Let me go! Daryl! Daryl!" I yelled for him but knew it was useless. I see myself passing the gate at the end of the alley way. I can't let them get the guns. Before they threw me in the car. I tossed the bag as far back into the alley as I could.

Narrator POV: Daryl saw the car drive away with Gwen and Glenn in it. He runs up to the gate and grabs the bag of guns.

"Come back hear! You scumbitches!" Daryl sees the walkers approach him in large numbers. He quickly closes the gate to the alleyway. He looks back and sees the boy looking at him. He charges at him only to be pushed back by Rick, who had arrived with T-Dog.

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa. Stop it!" Rick gets Daryl away from the boy, pushing him back with every step.

"I'm gonna kick your nuts up into your throat!"

"Let me go!" The boy pleads.

"Chill out!" T-Dog holds the boy up against the wall to be sure he doesn't go anywhere.

"They took Gwen and Glenn. That little bastard and his little bastard homie friends." Daryl tries to launch himself at the boy out of pure rage. "I'm gonna stomp your ass!" T-Dog looks behind him and see walkers coming from the other end of the alleyway.

"Guys! Guys! Were cut off." Rick looks around. He spots the ladder leading up the building.

"Get back to the lab. Go." T-Dog takes the kid and leads him to the ladder. Rick grabs the bag of guns. Daryl grabs his crossbow.

"Come on. Damn, lets go." Rick goes back again and grabs his hat. The two then head back up to the ladder and to the lab.

* * *

Inside the lab. They sit the boy down and begin to interrogate him. With Daryl having little patients, he pasts back and forth. Rick kindly tries to get information out of the boy.

"Those men you were with. We need to know where they went." The boy looks at Rick a bit intimidated.

"I ain't telling you nothing."

"Jesus, man. What the hell happened back their?" T-Dog looks over at Daryl.

"I told you, this little turd and his douche bag friends came out of nowhere and jumped me and Gwen."

"You're the one who jumped me, puto, screaming about trying to find his brother like its my damn fault."

"They took my girl and Glenn. They could have taken Merle too." The boy looks at Daryl in amusement.

"Merle? What kind of hick name is that? I would of named my dog Merle." Daryl's temper flairs again. He goes to try and kick the boy, but is stopped by Rick. He pushes him back yet again.

"Damn it, Daryl. Back off." The two men eye each other for a bit. Daryl walks to Glenn's backpack. He takes out Merle's hand.

"Want to see what happened to the last guy who pissed me off?" He walks up to the boy and drops Merle's hand on his lap. The boy looks at it and freaks out throwing the hand off him. He collapses from his chair and backs up into a wall. Daryl leans down to the boy grabbing his neck.

"Start with the feet this time." Daryl is pulled off the boy by Rick. This time he says nothing just points at him to back off. Rick leans down to the frighten boy.

"The men you were with took our friends. All we wanna do is talk to them, see if we can work something out." The boy nodes a couple time giving Rick the okay.

* * *

A few yards away from the main doors from were the boy is from. Rick looks through a large hole eyeing the doors. He than look up at T-Dog.

"You up for this?"

"Yeah" T-Dog nods.

"Okay." T-Dog grabs the bag of gun and leaves out of sight. Daryl looks down at the boy.

"One wrong move, you get an arrow in the ass. Just so you know."

"G's gonna take that arrow out of my ass and shove it up yours. Just so you know." Rick looks at the boy wondering who he is talking about.

"G?"

"Guillermo. He's the man here."

"Okay then." He cocks his gun "Lets go see Guillermo."

Rick and Daryl approach the main doors with the boy in front, with shotgun and crossbow drawn. They stop about twenty feet from the doors as they open. A slender man with a black button up shirt steps out and looks at the boy.

"You okay little man?"

"They're gonna cut off my feet, carnal." The man looks at Rick.

"Cops do that?"

"Not him. This redneck puto here. He cut some dude's hand, man. He showed it to me." The boy points his head at Daryl.

"Shut up." Daryl demands. The two men from back in the alley come out with guns drawn. The heavier man looks at Daryl.

"Hay, that's that vato right their. He shot me in the ass with an arrow. What's up homes, huh." The man known as G puts his hand on the gun and lowers it.

"Chill, ese, chill, chill." G looks at Rick and Daryl. "This true? He wants Miguellito's feet? That's pretty sick man."

"We were hoping more for a calm discussion." Rick finally speaks out.

"That hillbilly jumps Felipe's little cousin, beats on him, threatens to cut off his feet, Felipe gets an arrow in the ass and you want a calm discussion? You fascinate me." G narrows his eyes at Rick.

"Heat of the moment. Mistakes were made on both sides." G looks over at Daryl.

"Who's that dude to you anyway? You don't look related."

"He's one of our group, more or less. I'm sure you have a few like him."

"You got my brother in their?" Daryl demanded.

"Sorry, we're fresh out of white boys. But I got Asian. You interested?" G offered.

"We're my girl?" G looks at Daryl in disbelief and chuckles.

"Your girl? Your trying to tell me that pretty little white girl that came in with the Asian is your girl? She blind?" Daryl's anger gets the best of him as he goes to attack G when all his men take aim at Daryl, stopping him in his tracks. Rick grabs the boys and pushes him back and steps in.

"Look I have one of yours, you have two of mine. How about we make an even trade."

"Don't sound even to me." The boy looks at G and pleads for him to take him back in.

"G. Come on man."

"My people got attacked. Where's the compensation for their pain and suffering? More to the point, where's my bag of guns?"

"Guns?" Rick repeats

"The bag Miguel saw in the street. The bag Felipe and Jorge were going back to get. That bag of guns."

"Your mistaken."

"I don't think so."

"About it being yours. Its my bag of guns." Rick corrects him.

"The bag was in the street. Anybody could come around and say it was theirs. I'm supposed to take your word? What's to stop my people from unloading on you right here and now and I take what's mine?" G's men come closer with their guns still drawn.

"You could do that." He looks up at T-Dog to his left on the top of a building ready to sniper G. G looks up at T-Dog and smirks back at Rick.

"Oye." He yells out to someone. Rick and Daryl look up to the top of the building and see two men holding Gwen up to the very edge of the building, threatening to throw her off. Rick and Daryl realize they can't win this round.

"I see two options, you come back with Miguel and my bag of guns, everybody walks. Or you come back locked and loaded, we'll see witch side spills more blood." G walks back inside as his men follow. Rick checks the rooftop to make sure Gwen was gone and out of harms way.

* * *

Back at the lab, Rick lays out the bag of guns out on a table. He begins to check them all and loads them.

"Them guns are worth more than gold. Gold wont protect your family or put food on the table. You willing to give that up for that kid?" Rick ignores Daryl.

"Man. They got your woman in their, god knows what they'll do to her." T-Dog points out.

"Gwen is tough okay. If anything she'll put up a fight before any of those bastards lay a hand on her."

"Well if I know we get them back I might agree. But you think that vato across the way is just gonna hand them over?" T-Dog argues.

"You calling G a liar?" The boy speaks out from the ground.

"Are you part of this? You want to hold on onto your teeth?" Daryl leans down slapping the boy in the head. Miguel remains silent.

"Question is, do you trust that man's word?" T-Dog looks at Rick.

"No, question is what you willing to bet on it? Could be more than them guns, Could be your life. Glenn worth that to you?" Rick finally looks up at Daryl a bit irritated.

"Is Gwen worth it to you?" Daryl says nothing knowing Rick was right.

"What life I have I owe to him." He pauses "I was nobody to Glenn, just some idiot stuck in a tank. He could of walked away but he didn't. Nether will I. I'm sure you don't wanna leave Gwen their ether." Rick goes back to loading the guns.

"So your gonna hand the guns over?" Daryl questions him. Rick look up.

"I didn't say that. My question is, are you coming with me?" Daryl raises his head in agreement. Rick looks over at T-Dog.

"Theirs nothing holding you here. You should get out. Head back to camp."

"And tell your family what?" their was silence in the room for a bit. That's when Rick knew that T-Dog will stand by his side to fight. He hands him a shotgun. Daryl leans down to the table of guns and grabs one himself. Miguel gets up once again and tries to plead to them.

"Come on, this is nuts." Daryl pushes him back and points to the ground. Miguel sits back down, getting overwhelmed. "Just do what G says." He tries to plead again but everyone ignores him this time.

* * *

Rick, Daryl and T-Dog make their way back to the main doors were they meet G. Daryl has Miguel upfront with his gun pointed at his back. The doors open as they approached. Daryl pushes Miguel inside and follows him in. Rick and T-Dog follow close behind with their guns drawn. G approaches them with an unpleasant face.

"I see my guns but their not all in the bag."

"That's because their not yours. I thought I mentioned that." Rick steps forward to face G. The man that was shot in the ass with Daryl's crossbow named Felipe comes in with his gun drawn at them.

"Lets just shoot these fools right now, ese. All right? Unload on their asses, ese." G looks at him then back at Rick.

"I don't think you fully appreciate the gravity of the situation." Rick lowers his gun a bit irritated. He cuts the tape off Miguel's hands and pushes him back to his group. "You have your man. I want mine." G looks at Rick and snaps.

"I'm gonna chop up your boy. I'm gonna feed him to my dogs. They're the eviles, nastiest, man-eating bitches you ever saw. I picked them up from Satan at a yard sale." G looks at Daryl. "And you know what I'm gonna do to your little girlfriend redneck boy? I'm gonna make her my sex slave." Rick puts his hand in front of Daryl. Telling him to stand his ground.

"Your gonna eat those words punk." Daryl grunts. G looks back at Rick.

"White boy's don't scare me. I told you how it has to be. Are you woefully deaf?" G practically yelled at Rick out of irritation.

"No, my hearing's fine. You said come locked and loaded." Rick cocks his gun as Daryl and T-Dog do the same. "Okay then, we're here." G's men cock their guns and point them at Rick, Daryl and T-Dog. Rick then points his gun right at G's head. For a long moment everyone is silent with all guns drawn. An elderly woman's voice is then heard.

"Felipe! Felipe!" The man named Felipe turns around and sees the elderly woman who had approached them.

"Abuela, go back with the others….now."

"Get that old lady out the line of fire." Daryl demands with his guns still drawn. G looks at the old lady.

"Abuela, listen to your mih'jo, okay. This is not the place for you right now." The old lady ignores him and looks at Felipe.

"Mr. Gilbert is having trouble breathing. He needs his asthma stuff. Carlito didn't find it. He needs his medicine. G looks back and forth from Rick to Felipe a bit embarrassed about the whole situation.

"Felipe, go take care of it, okay? And take your grandmother with you." Rick begins to lower his gun, realizing what's going on. The older woman spots Rick and the others.

"Who are those men?" She begins to make her way up to Rick, while Felipe pleads for his grandmother to stop.

"Don't you take him."

"Ma'am?" Rick looks at her a bit confused.

"Felipe's a good boy. He have his trouble but he pull himself together. We need him." The older woman pleads to Rick. He lowers himself to her level.

"Ma'am, I'm not here to arrest your grandson."

"Then what do you want him for?"

"He's….helping us find two missing people. Fella named Glenn and a young woman named Gwen."

"The Aison boy and the girl? Their with Mr. Gilbert." The older lady grabs Rick's hand. "Come. Come, I show you. He needs medicine." G knew that the whole gun situation just went out the window. He had no choice but to let them through.

"Let them pass." All his men step aside as the older woman leads Rick, Daryl and T-Dog through the large garage. They follow her out the garage and up some stairs, through a yard and inside a building. Inside Rick is able to hear coughing and faint whispering. As they go through a hallway, Rick sees elderly people being attended to in each and every room. Being stunned by what he sees, he stops in his tracks. Felipe passes him to get to his grandmother.

"Abuela, por favor. Take me to him." Rick and the others follow Felipe into a larger open room, where more elder people are at. They approach a group of people surrounding an old man.

"Nice and easy. Just breath, Just let it out. Just breath." Felipe assist what appears to be Mr. Gilbert with his inhaler.

"Just relax." Gwen's voice is heard. Rick looks at Glenn who was behind Gwen, confused.

"What the hell is this?"

"An asthma attack." Gwen gets up from assisting Mr. Gilbert. "Couldn't get his breath out all the sudden." Gwen looks up from the old man and sees Daryl, Rick and T-Dog around them. She stars at Daryl who in return was looking back at her. T-Dog breaks the silence.

"I thought you were being eaten by dogs, man." Glenn looks back at three Chihuahuas as one begins to bark at them. Rick leans down to G, wanting some answers.

"Could I have a word with you?" Rick pulls G aside.

Gwen's POV: I see Daryl standing their. I'd be lying if I said I was not happy to see him. I actually couldn't be happier. He came back for me. He could of just gone back to camp, but he didn't. He risked his life to save mine. I walk up to him and grab his hand.

"Hay."

"Since when you play doctor for people?" He demanded. I was a bit disappointed that, that was his fist answer after coming to rescue me.

"Since the world ended." I answer back. I look at him and smile. He looks at me, sees my smile and quickly looks away.

"What?" He avoids eye contact.

"You came back."

"Of cores I did." I saw the expression in him that was very common. Not wanting to care about his feelings in front of people.

"Guys." Rick notifies us to follow him and Guillermo to another room. Me, Daryl, T-Dog and Glenn follow them.

* * *

We enter a storage room. Guillermo sits by a boarded window as the rest of us stand around.

"What about the rest of your crew?" Rick asked.

"The vatos trickle in to check on their parents, their grandparents. They see how things are and most decide to stay. it's a good thing to. We need the muscle. The people we've encountered since things fell apart, the worst kind….plunderers, the kind that take by force."

"That's not how we are." Rick points out.

"How was I to know? My people got attacked and you show up with Miguel hostage…appearances." I see look over at me. Why I don't know. I had nothing to do with what happened with that kid I was just trying to defend my man. That's when I realized he was looking at Daryl. Oh right. Now I felt like an idiot.

"Guess the world changed." T-Dog says next to us, sounding exhausted.

"No. it's the same as it ever was. The weak get taken. So we do what we can here. The vatos work on those cars, talk about getting the old people out of the city. But most can't even get to the bathroom by themselves, so that's just a dream. Still it keeps the crew busy, and that's worth something. So we barred all the windows, welded all the doors shut except for one entrance. The vatos, they go out scavenge what they can to keep us going. We watch the perimeter night and day and we wait. The people here, they all look to me now, I don't even know why."

"Because they can." Rick and Guillermo look at me. Rick nodes and looks at his gun. He than hands it to Guillermo. Rick looks back at the bag of guns and begins to pull out more.

* * *

Outside we were all making our way back to the van. It was silent, so Glenn spoke. "Admit it, you only came back to Atlanta for the hat." He joked.

"Don't tell anybody."

"You've given away half our guns and ammo." Daryl complained.

"Not nearly half." Rick corrected.

"For what? Bunch of old farts who are gonna die of momentarily anyway? Seriously how do you think they got?"

"Stop." I look at Daryl.

"How long do any of us?" Rick clarifies. He was right. Any of us could be next at any given moment. That was one of my biggest fear. Not so much dying but one of those undead bastards getting Daryl. Taking him away from me or vice versa. One of them getting me and leaving him all alone….again. I snap out of it when we all stop walking, staring at nothing. Until I noticed what it was we where suppose to be looking at.

"Oh my god." Glenn says in shock.

"Where the hell is our van?" I hear Daryl say next to me.

"We left it right their, who would take it?" I begin to freak out.

"Merle." I hear the cold words come out of Rick's mouth. We were all stunned by his answer. This isn't good for the group back at camp.

"He's gonna be taking some vengeance back to camp." Daryl sounded uneven for once. One of the first I've ever heard from him since we began dating.

"Come on, We gotta move" Rick starts walking to where the van once was. We all follow. Its gonna be quite a walk back to camp. I doubt we'll make it back before dark. But still its worth trying.

* * *

We where on the highway, nobody had said anything ever since we discovered the van missing. Rick, T-Dog and Glenn were walking a few feet in front of me. I look behind me and see Daryl a few feet behind. I slow down to talk to him.

"Is something bothering you? I mean Merle aside, you seam bothered by something else. You haven't said a word to me since we left that place." I explain myself.

"I haven't herd one thank you from you ever since we left."

"I got the feeling you didn't want to hear my sympathy anyway. Besides I was perfectly capable of getting out of their myself." I hear him snort in a sarcasm way.

"Right, witch is why they were threatening to throw you off the building. Sure. You had it all under control." He argues back.

"You know you didn't exactly run after me when they dragged me in their car."

"I got jumped by two punks with aluminum bats. I wasn't in the greatest shape to get up and run after you right away. I did try. So your welcome." I didn't wanna continue arguing with him so I said nothing after that.

* * *

Hours later we all reach the dirt road that led up to camp. Rick looks back at us.

"Okay, we need to run from hear. Non of us know if Merle has made it back or not. God knows if anything is going on up their." We all begin to run up the long dirt road.

About half way up the road, we begin to hear faint screams. Rick holds one hand up telling us to stop. The screams are heard more clearly. It wasn't till then when we heard a gun shot.

"Oh my god." Rick says in terror. We all continue to run up the road, this time as fast as we all could. With each of us caring a heavy gun, it made it a little harder to run fast with the extra weight.

When we reached the camp we saw that it wasn't Merle that was attacking the camp. But walkers, attacking anyone helpless and weak. Without hesitation, We all start shooting walkers left and right. I saw that some poor souls were lost, already being eaten. Others wounded, bleeding out anyway. All of us slowly merge around the RV, looking around for anymore walkers. They were all dead. Daryl and I were towards the back of the RV and the rest around the RV door. We were all catching our breath from the horror that had just happened. And just when I thought it was all over, I hear sobbing. I look around and see Andrea on the ground. I saw Amy under her, all covered in blood, pale, not moving. That's when my heart stopped. She had been bitten, died. One of my only real friends was now dead. Sadness had token over me as my feet collapse from under me. That's when I couldn't help but cry myself. Amy was gone. I bury my face in my hands as I heard Andrea yell in sorrow.

"Ho, no, no! Amy! Amy! Amy!"

"I remember my dream now. Why I dug the holes." I hear Jim say in shock. As if he knew this was gonna happen but never said anything.


	5. Lost

Revolver

**I don't own any right to the original scrip lines from the characters. They are just added on their. Gwen is the only character that's mine. **In this chapter you will get to see Daryl and Gwen interact more and see what kind of relationship they have.

_Setting: Wildfire_

Chapter 5 Lost

Morning came, I was still on the ground were I had collapsed. Andrea had not moved ether. Even tough Amy was not related to me. I still felt crushed. She was one of my only real friends. I should have treated her better than I actually did. She deserved better. She didn't deserve to die like this. Where was Andrea when this happened. She should have been their to save her own sisters life. I felt anger slowly take over the sadness. I wanted to hurt Andrea for this. I snap out of it when I feel the presence of someone next to me.

"Hay." I hear that raspy voice say next to me. I look up and see Daryl kneeling down to me. Normally I would feel delighted to see him caring for me. But not this time. I really had no emotion in me.

"You haven't slept at all. Come on, you need to rest." He helps me up to my feet and takes me to our tent. I sit down, still with a blank face.

"Get some sleep. I'll be outside." I hear him say and left. I laid down for a bit and began to wonder. Was I put on this earth just to be pushed aside and be treated like shit? Everything I do is worth nothing or is backfired. Like Daryl, I never really had any real friends growing up. My stupid dad left us when I was young. Older brothers always picked on me. It wasn't till I met Daryl that I thought my life was gonna get better. It didn't, I felt like it got worse. With Merle always around teasing Daryl about me. Daryl taking his anger out on me. I asked myself why I didn't just leave them. When I tried, I couldn't. Because Daryl needed me as much as I needed him. I couldn't just leave him alone with Merle again. Nobody can ever know just how much me and Daryl have endured in our lives. That's why Amy was beginning to be my cure for all the hatred that has happened to me. Now that she is gone, I know I'm distend to live in this hell hole for life.

I don't know for how long I was thinking over things, but I heard Daryl's voice close by, he was talking to someone.

"Ya'll cant be serious. Let that girl hamstring us? The dead girls a time bomb."

"What do you suggest?" I hear Rick argue back.

"Take the shot. Clean, in the brain from here. Hell, I can hit a turkey between the eyes from this distance."

"No. For god's sakes let her be." I hear Lori object. Were they talking about what to do with Amy's body? "Wake up Jimbo, we've some work to do." I hear him say to Jim. I was still worried about him. About what he said last night about, he knew why he dug up the holes. But how was it for cretin that he knew walkers were gonna attack. I was still confused at the whole thing.

"What are you guys doing? This is for geeks. Our people go over there." I hear Glenn plead to someone. I poke my head out the tent and see he was talking to Morales and Daryl, who were dragging a body.

"What's the difference? They're all infected."

"Our people go in that row over their. We don't burn them! We bury them. Understand. Our people go over their." Glenn points to a row of bodies. Daryl and Morales drag the body over to the separate row of bodies from the walkers that attacked us last night. Glenn didn't care much about them before. Why is he caring now.

"You reap what you sow."

"You know what? Shut up, man." Morales looks down at Daryl, getting defensive all sudden.

"Ya'll left my brother for dead! You had this coming." Daryl yells out. I wasn't gonna try and calm him down this time. For one I was not in the mood and for two, he was right. Some of these people meant nothing to the group, they were nobody. But they still get a proper burial as if they meant something important. As for Merle nobody cared if he was dead or not, when he was a big part in helping keep these weaklings safe. What if something happened like that happened to me or Daryl, or both of us. Were not exactly the most loved ones here, so what's to say that they wont give us a proper burial or even care that we died. If anything it be a big relief for them, since it seems like were such a burden for everyone here.

"A walker got him! A walker bit Jim!" Jacquie yells out. I along with everyone else gathers around, knowing this was not something to be joking about. Jim looks at everyone in a worried way.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." He tries to convince everyone, but that didn't seem to be working. Daryl walks around with the pickax.

"Then show it to us. Show it to us." He demands. Jim looks around, dripping in sweat, barley able to keep his feet in one place. Jim sees Daryl approach him with the pickax, So he kneels down to grab a shovel, ready to defend himself at any costs.

"Easy Jim." Shane puts a hand out, slowly walking up to Jim. T-Dog goes up to Jim from behind and hoists him up.

"Grab him." Daryl yells out. Their was a struggle between Jim and T-Dog. Shane tries to grabs the shovel from Jim as he struggled against T-Dog's strong grip. Shane manages to grab the shovel from Jim. Daryl rushes up to him and lifts his shirt up where the blood had soaked though, reviling the bite wound he was trying to hide. T-Dog releases Jim as everyone backs off.

"I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay." Jim kept repeating himself over and over. Everyone knew he clearly wasn't.

* * *

About an hour or so went by. A lot of us gathered in a group, including Daryl. We were all trying to come to a conclusion on what we should do with Jim and Amy. Rick asked anybody for a suggestion. Daryl spoke.

"I say we put a pickax in his head, and the dead girl's and be done with it."

"Amy." I corrected him.

"What?"

"Her name was Amy." Daryl rolls his eyes, not being able to understanding how i was feeling right now. It frustrated him. I could see it in him.

"Whatever."

"Is that what you'd want if it were you?" Shane questions Daryl, not believing what he just heard.

"Yeah, and I'd thank you while you did it." He admitted. One of the rare things he did to other people.

"I hate to say it…I never thought I would, but maybe Daryl's right." Dale came in looking at everyone. Rick looked like he'd have had enough about everyone's decision on killing Jim head on.

"Jim's not a monster, Dale, or some rabid dog."

"I'm not suggestion…"

"He's sick, A sick man. We start down that road where do we draw the line?"

"The line is pretty clear. Zero tolerance for walkers, or them to be." Daryl spoke out, looking at Rick dead in the eye. He didn't say anything for a bit. Rick's eyes then light up.

"What if we can get him help? I heard the CDC was working on a cure." I really wasn't sure if Rick was kidding or just being delusional. Had Atlanta not made it clear that the world had gone to shit.

"I heard that too. Heard a lot of things before the world went to hell." Shane confronts Rick.

"What if the CDC is still up and running?" Rick pushed on.

"Man, that is a stretch right their."

"Why? If theirs any government left, any structure at all, they'd protect the CDC at all costs, wouldn't they? I think its our best shot. Shelter, protection, rescue."

"Okay, Rick, you want those things, all right? I do too, okay? Now if they exist, they're at the army base. Fort Benning."

"That's 100 miles in the opposite direction." Lori points out.

"That's right. But its away from the hot zone. Now listen to me. If that place is operational, it'll be heavily armed. We'd be safe there."

"The military were on the front line of this thing. It got over run we seen that. The CDC is our best choice Jim's only chance." Rick countered. I had finally had enough of Rick and Shane's discussion about some dreamy safe land that did not exist.

"Oh Christ! Will you all just shut up and stop being delusional. There is no safe zone. The world ended, get over it." I point out the facts. Everyone looked at be in disbelief. So I walked away. I had enough of their bullshit.

"You go looking for aspirin, do what you need to do. Someone needs to have some balls to take care of this damn problem!" I hear Daryl yell out. I look back and see Rick pointing a gun to Daryl's head. He had a pickax in his hand, froze in a position that looked like he was about to kill Jim.

"We don't kill the living." Daryl turns around and looks at Rick, lowering the pickax.

"That's funny coming from a man who just put a gun to my head."

"We may disagree on some things, not on this. You put it down now. Go on."Shane demanded. Daryl slams down the pickax and walks away. I was by our tent when Daryl came up to me.

"What's with you lately?"

"Not now Daryl."

"The hell with not now. You been acting strange ever since last night. Is it that dead girl?"

"Her name was Amy god damn it!"

"Why all the sudden you care about her now? You didn't before"

"You wouldn't even begin to understand." I look away towards Amy's direction and see her moving. The camp suddenly became quiet. It was then that I was able to her Amy's faint growling. She had become a walker. It killed me to see what once was a beautiful young girl turn into something so evil. She didn't deserve to die like this. It was Andrea who had to put Amy out of her misery. I jumped at the loud sound of a gunshot. Amy collapsed back to the ground with a clear shot through her head. It became to over whelming for me to see her like that any longer. I leave the camp and head down to the small lake.

* * *

About an hour went by, I was staring out onto the lake when I hear someone approach me.

"Hay um….sorry about what I said." I say nothing. I hear him sigh.

"Look, I cant talk long right now. I gotta go help take and bury the bodies up on the hill. A gathering is being held for them after. Even for….Amy. Come join when your ready." I hear him leave. A funeral for better words, is what he was trying to say. I look back out towards the lake once more. I cant morrow over Amy's death forever. I need to be strong for her. And what better way than to say my good byes to her at this gathering.

I make my way up the hill about twenty minutes after Daryl had left. I see that everyone was their. Andrea was struggling to gently put Amy in her grave. Dale tried to give her a helping hand, but Andrea insisted on doing it herself. After Amy was in, their was a long moment of silence. Nobody said anything, not even the kids. Soon after everyone started leaving one by one, until I was the last one their. I look around and see nobody. So I walk up to Amy's grave and kneel.

"Hay Amy, its me. Gwen. I, I hope your in a better place now. Away from all this. I'm not sure how me and your sister will get along. I never really talked to her much. Just you." I pause feeling the tears come up. "Amy I really am sorry I never really was a better friend to you than I should have. You were the only one who liked me for who I was, and all I really did was push you away. I was just afraid. I never had someone who cared for me as a friend as you did. Daryl is a different story. I never knew how much your friendship meant to me till now. It had to take this for me to realize how important you were to me. You had to die. I don't think I'll ever have a friend as great as you were. Not in this hell I'm forced to live with everyday. I don't know if a walker got you in the first place. I wasn't hear. I should have been. But my ego got the best of me and decided to go with the men to help find Merle. And for what? He wasn't even their when we went back. Then afterwards I got captured over a bag of guns. So much for trying to be the toughest woman on camp. I should have been hear to protect you and the ones we lost. I failed you guys." I stop for a moment to sniff and dry my tears. I sat their in silence for a while. I lift my head up to look back at Amy "So I'm gonna make you a promise. I'm gonna fight, not just for myself, not just for Daryl. But for everyone else. For the ones who cant protect themselves. I'm not gonna fail them or anyone else again. And maybe one day we'll see each other again. Good-bye Amy." I get up, looking at Amy's grave for the last time. I turn to walk back down the hill when I see Daryl leaning against a tree looking at me.

"How long you been standing their?"

"Long enough." Their was silence between the two of us, just staring at each other. He walks up to me. I look down at the dirt, not being able to face him.

"I'm sure you probably think I'm a big pussy now huh?"

"Nah." I look up in surprise. Usually he would agree that I was some pathetic chick for showing to many emotions. Not this time. I was lost for words.

"What?" i ask. He stairs at me for a moment.

"You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened to Amy."

"Why? I should have been here-"

"I know. But just remember you also came with us on a suicide run to help find Merle and to get a bag of guns. You risked you life for something that didn't even matter to you, just to keep everyone here safe. You don't owe them anything."

"People still died Daryl." I whisper.

"That's not for you to take the blame for. Nor me, or Rick, Glenn, T-Dog. You cant save everyone. Your not Wonder-woman." I smile at the little joke he made.

"Now that's what I like to see." I look up at him smiling even more. It was still a little strange as to why he was being nice. He would usually push anything I said aside and go on about his business. Was it because Merle was gone, that Daryl was finally out of his big brothers shadow for now? Or maybe because it was only the two of us up here. What ever the circumstance was. I like what I was seeing. A softer side to him. A caring side. We should be alone more often then.

"Come on. Lunch is ready. I don't want you to starve on me." He wraps and arm around my shoulders as we make our way down the hill.

* * *

It was mid day. Everyone was quiet, some were still trying to get over the loss. Others where just doing their own thing. Daryl had managed to shine some light in my mood. I felt better now that I properly said my good-bye to Amy and someone to talk to about it. And more happier that the someone was Daryl. He had listen to what I was going through with the whole Amy situation. Daryl and I were outside our tent. I see Rick approach us. I wonder what he want from us?

"Daryl, I need you and Gwen to help do a sweep of the whole area of any walkers."

"So now you're the leader?" Daryl opposed.

"I'm just asking for a favor."

"Its fine. Lets go." I intervene before things got ugly. Daryl gets up and grabs his crossbow and I grab my machete.

We enter the woods. Non of us said anything for a bit. I was a bit on edge being back in the woods. Last time I was in hear alone I got raped. That was a question that was slowly eating away at me. Should I ever mention anything to Daryl about what happened the day Merle went missing? If I did what will be the outcome? I sure as hell don't want him to think I was the reason for his disappearance. What if the whole conversation ends up in disaster and we end up splitting up? Theirs only one way to find out. I have to tell him, before anymore time passes. I break out of thought and see Daryl next to me.

"So babe, do you think anything will ever break us up?" Daryl looks at me with narrow eyes.

"Is their a specific reason why your asking this?"

"Well I was just thinking. All the arguments we had in the past, before the world went to hell. Some were pretty ugly. Some of them I actually thought we'd be through with each other. But look at us. Where still together."

"You say that as if it where a problem."

"No, no, not at all. I was just asking." Daryl stops and looks at me.

"What is it exactly your trying to say?" I saw the expression if irritation in his face. I couldn't say it. As much as I tried, the words wouldn't come out. I didn't have the guts to tell him about Merle. Witch is bad. The longer I waited, the harder its gonna be on the both of us. Fuck, what do I do?!

"You'll never abandon me will you?" He scoffs, almost in relief.

"Of cores not. My question is, will you?" I put my hand on his neck and lean up to kiss him. He hesitated for a bit before he gave in. He drops his crossbow and puts both his hands on my waist. I drop my machete wrapping my arms around his neck. I knew that this was not the time to tell him about it. Hopefully sooner than later. A few moment into our kiss he backs away and goes to pick up his crossbow.

"We aint got time for this." He continues to make his way through the woods. I picked up my machete and followed him. I loved Daryl with all my heart, but it killed me when he backs away the moment he knows he's shows the slightest sign of emotion or love. It was the barrier he had created from all the pain his father and Merle had caused him all his life. He thinks everyone expects him to be this asshole outsider and is only the groups tool, nothing more. I can see it in him that he's afraid to let anyone in or to accept the fact that people do care about him. Its that barrier that wont let him see any of it. I don't care how long it takes, I plan to take down that barrier and let him see that everyone does care about him. That I truly do love him and that he's not just some worthless tool.

* * *

About an hour or so. Daryl and I arrive back at camp, the same time. Rick, Shane and Dale did. Everybody was gathered around the campfire. I saw that Andrea was passed out. I needed my sleep to. I hadn't had any sleep in twenty-four hours. I was dead tired. Before I headed for our tent. Shane had something to say.

"I uh. I've been thinking about Rick's plan. Now look, there are no….there are no guarantees ether way. I'll be the first one to admit that. I've known this man a long time, I trust his instincts. I say most important thing here is we need to stay together. So those of you that agree, we leave first thing in the morning. Okay?"

Sounded fine to me. I headed back to the tent. As much as I wanted to hit the sack and sleep for the rest of the evening. I had to pack my stuff, so that when morning comes I don't slow anybody down. Moments later Daryl comes in.

"Everyone else is packing their stuff and calling it a night. Figured I'd do the same." My body couldn't take it anymore. I was physically and mentally drained. With one last yawn, my whole body and mind shut itself down.

* * *

I wake up at the vibrations of something all over my body. In a way I didn't know what the hell it was. I was still tired to even get up or open my eyes. That's when I smelled the gasoline from the old truck. I manage to open my eyes. The first thing I saw was Daryl. We were in his truck already on the move. I lean up and see that we were on the road behind T-Dog's van. I look back and see Shane's car behind us. I then spot all our stuff in the back with Merle's old bike. That's when it hit me. Somehow Daryl carried me to the truck and packed all our stuff early morning. Great now I felt like a lazy ass for sleeping in too long and making Daryl do all the work. He looks over at me.

"Your awake." I rub my eyes trying to clear my vision.

"Yeah. How long was I out?"

"A while."

"Sorry I didn't help you pack."

"You need to stop apologizing for everything." He looks back at me. "Its fine." I'll take his word for it this time. I don't want him to feel pity for me over a little something. I was still a bit tired and wanted to go back to sleep. But this wasn't la, la land. I had to suck it up and deal with what sleep I got. I sat up next to Daryl and laid my head on his shoulder.

The group drove non stop. We passed small town, lots of wide open country. Some small houses and more open country. It wasn't long when someone up ahead honked their horn, suddenly the entire campaign stopped.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"I don't know, lets go find out." Daryl and I get off the truck and make our way to the front of the group. Everyone was gathered around the front of the RV. It was smoking.

"I told you we'd never get far on that hose. I said I needed the one from the cube van." Dale pointed out to Rick, flapping his hat to clear the smoke coming from the engine.

"Can you jury-rig it?"

"That's all its been so far. Its more duct tape than hose. And I'm out of duct tape."

"I see something up ahead. A gas station if we're lucky." Shane speaks out looking out in the distance with binoculars. Jacquie comes running out of the RV in a panic.

"Ya'll, Jim…its bad. I don't think he can take anymore." She runs back inside.

"Hay, Rick, you want to hold down the fort? I'll drive ahead, see what I can bring back." Shane suggested before Rick entered the RV. T-Dog grabs the binocs and looks on.

"Yeah, I'll come along too and I'll back you up." T-Dog volunteers.

"We'll come with you." I add. Shane looks at Daryl unpleasantly, than at me shaking his head.

"Nah. I think its best you and Daryl stay here. Its less of a hassle." I lean over to Daryl and whisper.

"Ass. How come we never get to do anything fun?" He doesn't say anything.

"Ya'll keep you eyes open now. We'll be right back." Shane and T-Dog hop in his car and head out to where they were looking at. Daryl and i head back to the truck. He grabs his crossbow from the back as I grab my machete.

"I'm really sick for getting stuck doing bitch detail." I hear Daryl grunt. I look out to the RV and shake my head.

"Their always underestimating us. They'll come around." I look around and notice a chunk of our group missing.

"Where's Morales and his family?"

"They split. Went their own way. You were still asleep." Daryl explained.

"Why would they leave the group with nobody to have their back?"

"Hell if I care. Their not our problem anymore."

While we waited for Shane and T-Dog to get back and find out what the hell was gonna happen with Jim. Daryl and I kept an eye out for walkers. Soon Shane and T-Dog came back with nothing. I guess their was nothing of use out their. And when their isn't makes survival that much more harder. Rick comes out he RV and gathers everyone around.

"Jim uh….wants us to leave him here." Nobody said a word for a moment. As if they couldn't believe the words came out of Rick's mouth.

"What?" Carol steps up.

"Its what he says he wants."

"And he's lucid?" She insisted.

"He seems to be. I would say yes."

"Back in camp when I said Daryl might be right and you shut me down, you misunderstood. I would never go along with callously killing a man. I was just gonna suggest that we ask Jim what he wants. And I think we have an answer." Dale explained himself cutting Rick off.

"We just leave him there? We take off? I'm not sure I could live with that." I admitted

"Its not your call, ether one of us." Lori fires back. It angered me when she thought she knew everything and told everyone what they could and could not do. What the fuck made her so special? Oh yeah she was our new leader's wife. She best pray she doesn't push me to far one day.

Rick and Shane bring Jim out of the RV and help him out to set him up by a tree with shade underneath. His pale, sweaty face looks up.

"Hey, another damn tree." He joked. I didn't know what he meant by another tree. But frankly it didn't matter at the moment. I see Rick hand Jim a gun but he shakes his head resisting. Daryl and I where at the bottom of the small hill so I couldn't hear anything that was being said. Shane was the next to tell him good-bye. Then Jacquie. She gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. Rick and Lori were the next to say good-bye. Dale gives him a few good words and goes on his way. Glenn stepped up a bit then walked away. With his crossbow on one hand and my hand in the other. Daryl walks up the hill some. He and Jim make eye contact. They give each other a node. A node that puts aside their differences and what Daryl had almost done a day ago. A node of fair well. With that, Daryl begins walking away. With our hands linked together, all I could do is give Jim a smile and a wave good-bye. Everyone gets back in their cars and continue the way to the CDC.

* * *

We drove for hours non stop. I looked at the trucks dash and see we where beginning to run on red. More hours passed and the sun went down. We would all have to find a place to stay before it got dark. It was when right outside the city we all slow down. I spot an odd shaped building not far from the road. That's when all cars come to a halt.

"Is this the CDC?" I ask Daryl hoping he would know.

"Hell if I know." He gets out of the truck and grabs his crossbow and the shotgun. I to grab my machete and Daryl's handgun. Before I even got a chance to close the door, Shane speeds right by me, anxious to get to the front. We all regroup at the front of the RV. Nobody discussed anything knowing it was a no brainier. We needed to get inside that building before night fell, so we all slowly and quietly begin to make our way up to the building.

"All right, everybody. Keep moving. Stay quiet. Lets go." Rick led the group up and around all the barriers someone had put up. The entire place was littered with rotting corpses. Most were decomposing right to the bone. They most of gone down when the virus first spread. I could hear the kids, Carl and Sophia. Sobbing and whimpering. They were scared. We all were.

"Keep moving. Stay together. Come on."

"Shh." Shane hissed at Rick. I looked around and all I saw where bodies. And all together made the stench even worse. I was barley able to breath. We all approach what looked like a half sized garage door. Shutters they were. Rick and Shane try to open the doors, but they didn't move.

"Nothing." Shane points out. Rick bangs on the door. Still nothing.

"There's nobody here." T-Dog says from behind, close to Daryl and I.

"Then why are these shutters down?" Rick asks not looking back. I look at T-Dog and at the corner of my eye I see one.

"Walkers!" Startled, I take a few steps back. Daryl kills it with an arrow. I see the anger build up in him. He walks to Rick.

"You led us into a graveyard!"

"He made the call." Dale corrects.

"It was the wrong fucking call!" Shane steps in front of him, pushing him back.

"Just shut up. You hear me? Shut up." He turns to Rick. "Rick this is a dead end." Daryl makes his way back to the back with the rest of us.

"Where the hell are we gonna go?!" I yell out, trying to keep myself together.

"She's right. We cant be here, this close to the city after dark." Lori finally seemed to agree with me.

"Fort Benning, Rick…Still an option." Shane goes up to Rick. He looked like he was still trying to figure out what to do.

"On what? No food, no fuel, that's 100 miles" Andrea points out.

"125. I checked the map." Glenn corrects.

"Forget Fort Benning. We need answers tonight, now." Lori pleads, holding onto Carl.

"We'll think of something." Rick tries to calm everyone down, in frustration, not truly knowing what to do.

"We ain't got time for that. We need to get out of hear now!" I yell out. Everyone begins to plead to Rick.

"All right, back to the cars. Lets go." Shane finally had enough of all the waiting. We all begin to make our way back to the cars when Rick stopped us all.

"The camera…it moved." We all look back to him. I look back at Daryl.

"Babe you know as well as I do, we cant be out at night. Lets just head back to the truck." I pleaded to him. He didn't say anything, he would not take his eyes off the shutter doors.

"Get back to the cars now!" I hear Shane yell out. I look back at Daryl.

"Babe you said so yourself this place is a graveyard. Come on." He still would not take his eyes off the shutters. If I was right, he wanted what Rick said to be true. As much as he always disagreed with everything Rick said. He wanted to stay for a moment longer to see if those doors would open. He wanted shelter and security as much as we all did. I look back hearing Rick yell.

"Please, we're desperate. Please help us. We have women, children, no food, hardly any gas left."

"Rick. There's nobody here." Lori tried to plead to Rick but he ignored her. He wanted to believe their was someone in their. He still had hope. Hope for something that will never happen.

"We have nowhere else to go." He continued and pounded on the shutters as hard as he could.

"Keep your eyes open." Shane tells us in the back as he walked back up to Rick, getting a hold of him.

"If you don't let us in, your killing us! Please!" Rick yelled as loud as he could. As Shane dragged him back I could hear Rick's spirit break.

"Please help us! Your killing us! Your killing us!" In an instant we all hear a loud shriek and a bright light. All turning back at the blinding white light, where the shutters once were. I couldn't believe it. The doors had actually opened.


	6. Heat

Revolver

**I don't own any right to the original scrip lines from the characters. They are just added on their. Gwen is the only character that's mine. WARNING explicit, sexual content. Intended for mature audience.**

_Setting TS-19_

Chapter 6 Heat

For a moment everyone stood still. The blinding bright light went off, but the door still remained open. We all begin to slowly walk inside. It was right on Rick's part to say for a bit longer. I don't know what would have been of us if he'd follow us back to the cars. Me, Daryl, T-Dog and Glenn stayed towards the back.

"Daryl, you cover the back." Shane told him heading up to the front.

"Hello?" Rick whispered. Their was no answer. The place was dark from the quickly fading light outside.

"Close those doors. Watch for walkers." Shane said once again. We all looked around. The whole place was dead silent.

"Hello?" Rick asked again louder. Just then a gun chocking is heard in front of all of us. Everyone who had guns drew them at the person who had a gun to us.

"Anybody infected?" A man in a blue shit and blond hair asked pointing his gun at us.

"One of our group was. He didn't make it." Rick confronted the man about Jim. The one that didn't make it.

"Why are you here? What do you want?" The man seemed persistent to know why we needed to come inside so desperately.

"A chance." Rick answered back.

"That's asking a lot these days." Rick lowers his gun.

"I know." I saw that the man looked at each and every one of us. He saw how exhausted we all were.

"You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission."

"We can do that." Rick didn't hesitate to agree to his terms. The man lowers his gun and nodes.

"You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed." We all lower our guns and turn to run back to our cars. It was me Daryl and Shane who had the longest run back since our cars where at the back of the line. Though Daryl and I had our tent and everything else. All we got was two backpacks and weapons. Everyone made it quick to get their belongings and run back inside the building. As I was running back inside I saw that more walkers were showing up. Thank god that man let us in, we'd all be screwed if he had not.

* * *

Once back inside we all pile in a large looking elevator, up top were the big bold white letters CDC. So this was the place. Rick was right about everything. About the CDC, about waiting just a bit longer when he said he saw the camera had moved. He was right about everything. I should top second guessing him from now on.

"Vi, seal the main entrance, kill the power up hear." The man spoke, but to who? Nobody in our group was named Vi. I then feel the wait of the elevator drop down slowly. Rick steps up to the man and holds out his hand.

"Rick Grimes." The man takes his hand.

"Dr. Edwin Jenner." Our mystery savior had finally reviled his name. Their was silence as the elevator kept going down. I look at Daryl, he was staring at Jenner's gun.

"Doctors always go around packing heat like that?" Jenner look over at Daryl

"There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself. But you look harmless enough." Jenner then looks down at Carl. "Except you. I'll have to keep my eye on you." Carl breaks a smile, knowing Jenner means no harm. The elevator stops and the doors open. We all follow Jenner down a long white hall. Once again Daryl and I were at the back of the pack.

"Are we underground?" Carol asked a few feet in front of me.

"Are you claustrophobic?"

"A little."

"Try not to think about it." We reach the end of the hallway and into a dark room.

"Vi, bring the light in the big room." With that, lights turn on illuminating the large technological room.

"Holy shit." I say in amazement.

"Welcome to zone 5."

"Where is everybody? The other doctors, the staff?" Rick questioned him. Jenner stands in the middle of the room.

"I'm it. Its just me here."

"What about the person you were speaking with? Vi?" Lori asked.

"Vi, say hello to our guests. Tell them….welcome." Jenner speaks out.

"Hello, guests. Welcome." A computer animated voice speak out of nowhere. I look around the room still stunned. I was not use to this kind of technology. I was more of an outdoors person, not a techno geek.

"If you all follow me, I'd like to begin your blood work." We all follow Jenner in another room. He begins to prep for all the blood works he'll do on all of us. Most of us sat down to relax. Daryl, never did. Never wanting to show any sign of relaxing, always wanting to keep his guard up. Andrea was one of the first to get her blood checked.

"What's the point? If we were infected, we'd be running a fever."

"I've already broken every rule in the book letting you in here. Let me juts at least be thorough." Within a matter of minutes he patched her up ready for the next one. "All done." Andrea gets up almost falling back.

"Are you okay?" Jenner asked concern. Jacqui helps Andrea to the nearest chair. She looks back at Jenner.

"She hasn't eaten in days. Non of us have." That was for sure. Ever since we left the camp sight, non of us have eaten anything. Not even one of Daryl's squirrels. I was starving, tired and very low on energy. Jenner continued to get everyone's blood work. Once he did, he led us into a dinning hall.

"Everything you wish to eat is in the fridge and pantry. I'll come back to check on you guys." Jenner leaves as we all get ourselves something to eat, gathering at one to two tables. Some of the men found some whisky and wine bottles. Daryl wasted no time in taking a huge gulp of his whisky bottle he had found. Glenn managed to fine one himself. One wine bottle seemed to be shared amongst the rest of the adults. Jenner retunes and joins us in our calibrations. Their was this big debate between whether Carl should have his first taste of wine or not. Lori gave in as Dale poured a small amount into Carl's glass. The room went silent as he took a sip. Seconds later his face cringes in disgust.

"Eww!" Everyone begins to laugh. Lori pours what wine Carl had in his glass back into hers.

"That's my boy. Good boy." She kisses Carl on the head.

"Yuck. That tastes nasty."

"It takes years of practice to get use to little man." I tell him. I tried not to sound like a total idiot seeing as I was having a mixture between wine and taking some of Daryl whisky. I was feeling the buzz.

"How can you guys drink that stuff all the time? I don't see myself drinking it any time soon. Its so gross." Carl complained.

"Well, just stick to soda pop their bud." Shane adds.

"Not you Glenn." I hear Daryl say walking over to Glenn.

"What?" He looks at Daryl, with a halfass smile.

"Keep drinking, little man. I want to see how red your face can get." I could already tell he was getting a buzz on. He was more friendly when he dinked and not so much of an asshole. The guys laugh, feeling a buzz themselves. We all hear a glass cling as Rick gets up off his seat.

"It seems to me we haven't thanked our host properly." He raises his glass as we all do the same.

"He is more than just a host." T-Dog adds.

"Here's to you doc. Booyah!" Daryl raises his bottle instead.

"Booyah!" The guys repeat. We all toast to Jenner.

"So when are you gonna tell us what the hell happened here doc? All the uh…other doctors that were supposed to be figuring out what happened, where are they?" Shane interrupted the happy mood we were all having. The room went silent.

"We're celebrating, Shane. Don't need to do this now." Rick sat back down.

"Whoa, wait a second. This is why we're here right? This was your move….supposed to find all the answers. Instead we….we found him. Found one man. Why?" Shane looked at Jenner demanding answers.

"Well, when things got bad, a lot of people just left, when on to be with their families. And when things got worse, when the military cordon got overrun, the rest bolted."

"Every last one?" Shane pushed.

"No, many couldn't face walking out the door. They….opted out. There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time." I saw the look on Jenner face that he was still scared by the imagery he had to witness.

"You didn't leave. Why?" Andrea spoke.

"I just kept working, hoping to do some good." He answered back. The room was quiet. Even tough it felt like we had gotten a break form running for our lives. Shane just had to kill it.

"Dude, you are such a buzz kill, man." Glenn looked at Shane. I couldn't agree more. Shane had killed everyone's buzz. But that wasn't gonna stop me from drinking some more.

"Come, I'll show you to the rooms." Jenner gets up and begins to walk out, leading to a hallway, different from the one we came in from. We all get up and follow him.

"Most of the facility is powered down including housing, so you'll have to make do here. The couches are comfortable but there are cots in the storage if you like. There's a rec room down the hall that you kids might enjoy. Just don't plug in the video games, okay?" Jenner looks at Carl and Sophia. "Or anything the draws power. The same applies…if you shower, go easy on the hot water." Jenner leaves us all to pick out our rooms. Glenn and T-Dog look back at all of us.

"Hot water?" Glenn said in amazement

"That's what the man said."

* * *

Everyone finds their rooms to stay in. One by one, or pair. Everyone takes their turn in showering. Daryl and I got a room furthest from everyone. I'm not surprised, then again he could be planning for the two of us. Something that he didn't want anyone to be a part of. Once it was mine and Daryl's turn to shower, he was nowhere to be seen, so I went on ahead and began to shower without him. It had been a long time since I had a nice warm shower. All the ones I've had so far were cold and not so pleasant. I cleaned myself as great as could. Daryl finally came in. I look down at his hand. He still had the whisky bottle.

"Cant say I aint happy to feel hot water." He said taking another swig of the bottle.

"Haven't you had enough of that?" I smile at him.

"Nope, not for me." I take the bottle from his hand and take a swig myself. The both of us clean up, and just as I tough we where ready to get out. Daryl grabs my arm and pushes me up against the wall. He begins to kiss me, rubbing his hands all around and up my sides, around my breasts. I was liking it but this wasn't the place to do this.

"Whoa, hay their cowboy. Don't you wanna wait till we get back to the room?"

"Been waiting long enough." He continues to kiss my neck and chest.

"Daryl, your drunk." I laugh, being buzzed myself.

"So." He says not lifting his head from my neck. I felt that he was beginning to give me love bites. I look below his waist and see his erection getting bigger. He was not gonna stop. He wanted it hear and now.

"Come on, I don't want to waist any more hot water."

"Who cares, were the last ones left anyway." He continued to be persistent not taking his lips off me. I grab his hair and pull it back. He looks at me.

"Come on Gwen, we haven't had sex since everything ended." He complained. I couldn't help but smile at the look he was giving me.

"Believe me I'll make it up to you. As soon as we get out of the shower." Daryl takes another swig and looks at me.

"Lets go then."

Back in the room, still wet. Daryl waste no time in pushing me down on the couch. Drowning me in kisses. It wasn't long till he got inside me. The harder and heavier his breathing got, all I could smell is the alcohol on his breath. Oh yeah, he was drunk. I must agree with him when he said that we haven't had sex since everything ended. Even though we all should be concentrating on surviving and not having sex. Seeing that Daryl and I finally had some privacy after a long time. Made me love this moment even more. These are moments I enjoyed, because I never knew when will be the next time that we will get to do this again. This might be our last time for all we know. Daryl kept it up for a while, even tough he was drunk, he still kissed and rubbed my body as gently as he could. All i could do was moan in pleasure, witch he seemed to like. We finally stopped, completely exhausted for everything in general. I passed out in the couch and Daryl on the floor, only cuz the couch wasn't big enough for the both of us to sleep on. Not that Daryl liked cuddling anyway.

* * *

The next morning I woke up with a bit of a headache. I look below me and see Daryl still passed out. I get up and put on a fresh pair of clothes, heading back out to the dinning hall. Out their almost everyone was gathered around having coffee.

"Morning everyone." I greet them.

"Morning" I heard some say. Jacqui comes from around the kitchen counter with her coffee.

"You seem all happy. No hangover for you honey?" she asks me.

"Nope. Not really, at least not as bad Glenn's looks." Glenn groans at the sound of a hangover. He looked like shit. I take an open seat next to Carl.

"Hay little man."

"Hay."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah." He smiles.

"Eggs. Powdered, but…I do em good. I bet you cant tell. Protein helps the hangover." T-Dog serves Glenn. He groans from the pain. T-Dog gets to serving everyone else.

"Where'd all this come from?" Rick looked at the food and a small bottle of pills.

"Jenner" T-Dog answered.

"He thought we could use it." Lori adds to T-Dog's answer, opening the small bottle for Rick.

"Some of us at least." I say smiling at Glenn.

"Don't ever, ever, ever let me drink again." He groaned not lifting his head from resting on his hand. I chuckled a bit.

"I don't think you should ever, ever, ever listen to Daryl on drinking again." With that Shane comes in almost unnoticed until Rick said something.

"Hay."

"Hay." Shane repeats

"Feel as bad as I do?" Rick continued.

"Worse." Shane kept the conversation short. Rick noticed and stopped talking. Their was silence for a bit.

"The hell happened to you? Your neck?" We hear T-Dog point out. I look over at Shane as he sat down. He had three red slanted scratches on his neck.

"I must have done it in my sleep."

"Never seen you do that before." Rick looks at Shane suspiciously.

"Me neither. Not like me at all." I catch Shane looking at Lori. I didn't not know what the hell was up with those two. At first they both seemed lovey dovey and friendly towards each other. Now ever since Rick joined the group, they been avoiding each other not saying much. Jenner comes in shortly.

"Morning."

"Hay, doc." Shane greets him. Jenner prep his coffee. Dale turns around to face him.

"Doctor, I don't mean to slam you with questions first thing…."

"But you will anyway." Jenner cuts him off, not looking back.

"We didn't come here for the eggs." Andrea points out with a bitchy attitude. Jenner turns around swirling his coffee with a little red straw.

"Fair enough. Follow me." Jenner walks out the room. Everyone, including myself get up and begin to follow Jenner. I see Daryl come in as everyone was leaving the room.

"The hell is going on?" He looks at everyone leaving.

"I guess were finally gonna get some strait answers as to what's going on around here." Daryl grabs a muffin from my plate and begins eating it.

"Better."

We both follow everyone else back in what Jenner calls the big room. The entire room light up as Jenner walks up to the front.

"Give me playback of TS-19." Jenner calls out. A big screen turns on.

"Few people ever got a chance to see this. Very few." The screen shows the x-ray of a human skull.

"Is that a brain?" Carl asks.

"An extraordinary one. Not that it matters in the end." He looks at Carl. "Take us in for EIV."

"Enhanced Internal View." The computer known as VI answers. The screen shows the side view of the brain we were all looking at a moment ago. It zooms into the brain, showing microscopic cells that are glowing in neon blue.

"What are those light?" I ask curious to know.

"it's a person's life…experiences, memories. Its everything. Somewhere in all that organic wiring, all those ripples of lights, is you…the thing that makes you unique. And human." He explains.

"You don't make sense ever?" Daryl looked at Jenner and at the screen all confused.

"Those are synapses, electric impulses. They determine everything a person says, does or thinks from the moment of birth, to the moment of death."

"Death? That's what this is, a vigil?" Rick asks. What the hell is a Vigil? I was now as confused as Daryl. I didn't get all these fancy ass doctor words.

"Yes. Or rather the playback of the vigil."

"This person died? Who?" Andrea looked at Jenner.

"Test subject 19. Someone who was bitten and infected…and volunteered to have us record the process." He pauses as if the person meant something to him. "Vi, scan forward to the first event."

"Scanning to first event." Vi repeats. The screen forwards back to the same view of the x-ray. The glowing white cells fade and turn to black, leaving the entire brain area dark. A small red light begins to glow from the stem of the brain.

"What is that?" I hear Glenn ask from behind.

"It invades the brain like meningitis. The adrenal glands hemorrhage, the brain goes into shutdown, then major organs, than death." Only around the brain steam turned red. All the rest remained black.

"Everything you ever were or ever will be…gone." Jenner continues.

"Is that what happened to Jim." I hear little Sophia ask Carol, her mom. She nodes her head.

"Yes." Jenner looks at Andrea who begins to cry.

"She lost somebody two days ago. Her sister." Lori answers Jenner's questioning. Great, she just had to bring her up now didn't she. My calming mood came down thanks to Lori. A reminder that the world is still a hell hole out their.

"I lost somebody too. I know how devastating it is." Jenner admits. He pauses for a sec. "Scan to second event." He calls out.

"Scanning to second event." Vi repeats.

"The resurrection times vary wildly. We had reports of it happening in as little as three minutes. The longest we heard of was eight hours. In the case of this patient, it was two hours, one minute…seven seconds." He concluded. We saw that the red cells made it way a little up the brain but not much. It all mainly stayed in one spot. The stem.

"It restarts the brain?" Lori asks looking at the glowing red cells.

"No, just the brain stem. Basically, it gets them up and moving."

"But their not alive?" Rick asked looking at the screen as well. Jenner points his hand at the screen.

"You tell me."

"Its nothing like before. Most of that brain is dark."

"Dark, lifeless, dead. The frontal lobe, the neocortex, the human part…that doesn't come back. The you part. Just a shell driven by mindless instinct." The patient on the screen is seen beginning to move around violently. Within a matter of seconds a hollow gun appears at the top of the screen. A bright flash of light covers the screen. As it disappears, a hole is seen right through the head of the patient, that was not moving anymore.

"God, what was that?" Carol asked a bit shocked.

"He shot his patient in the head. Didn't you?" Andrea answers looking at Jenner.

"Vi, power down the main screen and the workstations." The big screen turns off. I look at Jenner. He knew something but didn't wanna seem to tell us. I could see it in him. Ether that or he didn't know jack-shit.

"You have no idea what it is, do you?" I put him on the spotlight.

"It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal."

"Or the wrath of God." Jacqui opposes.

"There is that." Jenner began to refuse to make eye contact with any of us.

"Well somebody must know something. Somebody somewhere." I pushed for answers.

"There are others, right? Other facilities?" Carol approached him.

"There may be some. People like me." This new vibe from Jenner was getting stranger and stranger by the questions we were asking him.

"But you don't know? How can you not know?" Rick asked concern about the whole situation. He wasn't the only one.

"Everything went down. Communications, directives…all of it. I've been in the dark for almost a month."

"So its not just here. There's nothing left anywhere? Nothing? That's what your saying, right?" I ask him to be sure I was correct. Jenner didn't say anything, giving everyone the answer that the world really did end. Not just here in Atlanta, but everywhere else.

"Jesus." I hear Jacqui say.

"Man, I'm gonna get shit-faced drunk again." I look back at Daryl who had leaned on one of the workstations. Holding his hands up to his face.

"Dr. Jenner, I know this has been taxing for you and I hate to ask one more question, but…that clock…its counting down. What happens at zero?" We all look at a big red digital clock that was now down to an one hour.

"The basement generators…they run out of fuel." Jenner answers with a blank emotion.

"And then?" Rick persisted on answers. Jenner ignores him and leaves the big room.

"Vi, what happens when the power runs out?" Rick asked the computer.

"When the power runs out, facility-wide decontamination will occur." Everyone looked at each other, not sure on what Vi meant by decontamination. Rick looks at us all.

"Everyone, head back to your rooms. Stay put until we figure out what's going on around here. Shane, Glenn, T-Dog come with me."

"Where are we going?" Glenn looked at Rick concerned.

"Down to the generator room." The four of them leave down to the generator room, as the rest of us head back to our rooms.

* * *

Back in mine and Daryl's room. I couldn't help but get what Vi said out of my mind. It was freaking me out. At the same time I was getting my stuff together to keep my mind off all the strange shit that's been going on. Daryl grabbed the whisky bottle from last night and took a swig of it. The not knowing part was getting to him as well.

"Decontamination…what does that mean?" I finally snapped.

"I didn't like the way that bastard just clammed up. The way he just wondered off not telling us nothing." Daryl spoke, relived that I said something first.

"What's wrong with him anyway? Is he nuts, medicated or what?" As Daryl was about to speak, the lights in the room flickered for a bit until they finally powered down.

"Emergency lighting on." Vi spoke throughout the facility. The room was a bit dimmer now.

"What the hell is this?" I wish I could answer Daryl's question, but I was lost as much as he was. I then noticed a dead silence in the room. Not a sound coming from anywhere. I look up at the air vent and put my hand up to it. I didn't feel anything. Their was no air coming out of it.

"What?" Daryl asked. I could begin to hear his impenitentness getting to him, not knowing what's going on.

"The air conditioning stopped." We then hear noises coming from out in the hallway. I open the door and pop my head out.

"What's going on?" I ask hoping someone will know.

"Why are all the lights turned off?" Daryl asked from behind me. Jenner walks by us taking Daryl's bottle from him.

"Energy use is being prioritized." Jenner says. Daryl follows him, wanting answers and his bottle back. I follow along with everyone else.

"Air isn't a priority? And lights?" Dale looks at Jenner confused.

"It's not up to me. Zone 5 is shutting itself down."

"Hay! Hay, what the hell does that mean?" Daryl demanded for answers following him back into the big room. The rest of us follows close behind.

"Hay man I'm talking to you. What do you mean its shutting itself down? How can a building do anything?" Daryl paused and pushed for answers, but Jenner wasn't having it.

"you'd be surprised." Before we enter the workstation area. Rick and the others come running back inside. That worried me. Something really must be wrong if their running back hear. I hope they weren't walkers inside the building. If their getting in from a blind spot, then were all screwed. We go down a flight of stairs. Meeting Rick and the others at the bottom.

"Jenner, what's happening?" Rick question.

"The system is dropping all the nonessential uses of power. Its designed to keep the computers running to the last possible second. That started as we approached the half-hour mark. Right on schedule." Jenner stops at the floor of four steps that led up to the workstations. He takes a swig of the whisky bottle and hands it back to Daryl. He snatches the bottle back giving Jenner a death glare. Jenner looks back at everyone.

"It was the French."

"What?" Was he joking right now? I didn't get his answer. What the fuck did he mean by the French. What do they have to do anything with Atlanta.

"They were the last ones to hold out as far as I know. While our people were bolting out the doors and committing suicide in the hallways, they stayed in the labs till the end. They thought they were close to a solution." He stops.

"What happened?" Jacqui quietly asked from behind.

"The same thing that's happening here. No power grid. Ran out of juice. The world runs on fossil fuel! I mean how stupid is that?" Jenner walks into the workstations. Shane bolts up to Jenner.

"Let me tell you.."

"To hell with it. I don't care, Lori, grab our things, everybody, get your stuff. We're getting out of here now!" Rick yells out. We all begin to make our way back to the rooms when a loud alarm goes off.

"What's that?" Shane demands looking at Jenner.

"30 minutes to decontamination." Vi announces. We aint got much time left. We need to get out of here.

"Doc, what's going on here damn it!" Daryl yell out to Jenner. He didn't answer.

"Everybody, ya'll heard Rick. Get your stuff and lets go! Go now! Go!" Shane demands yelling at us. Once again everyone begins to run back to the hallway that led to the rooms. A loud shriek is heard from behind us. Glenn and I look back. The main door that led to the elevator was now closed.

"Did you just lock us in? He just locked us in!" Glenn informs us all. Jenner sits down at one of the workstations and begins to type. Daryl gets furious and goes to attack him.

"You son of a bitch! You locked us in here! You locked us in here!" Before Daryl could lay a hand on Jenner. Shane and Rick manage to get him away.

"Hay, Jenner, open that door now." Rick calmly asks him.

"There's no point. Everything topside is locked down. The emergency exits are sealed."

"Well, open the damn things!" I yell going up to the workstations.

"That's not something I control. The computers do. I told you once that front door closed, it wouldn't open again. You heard me say that."

"You couldn't of been more discreet about it? Was it to hard to say "Oh by the way, you guys are gonna stay in here with me when this big red timer on the wall runs out!" I yell out. Their was a bit of a silence.

"Its better this way." Jenner opposes.

"What is? What happens in 28 minutes?" Rick asked him. Jenner ignores him yet again. Shane and Daryl push and grab him.

"What happens in 28 minutes?!"

"Come on!" Shane and Daryl demanded. Jenner jumps up in anger.

"Do you know what this place is?! We protected the public from very nasty stuff! Weaponized smallpox! Ebola Strains that could wipe out half the country! Stuff you don't want getting out! Ever!" We all stared at him, wanting more answers. Clear ones.

"In the event of a catastrophic power failure…in a terrorist attack, for example…HIT'S are deployed out." Well that was one answer he gave. Still, it wasn't clear or made no fucking sense.

"HIT'S?" Rick questions.

"Vi, define."

"HIT'S…high-impulse theromobaric fuel-air explosives consist of a two-stage aerosol ignition that produces a blast wave of significantly greater power and duration than any other known explosives except nuclear. The vaccum-pressure effect ignites the oxygen at between 5,000* and 6,000* and is useful when the greatest loss of life and damage to structures is desired." The computer explained. It was all to real now. As to why Jenner had locked us in hear.

"It sets the air on fire. No pain. An end to sorrow, grief…regret. Everything." Jenner concluded. An end to all suffering? Could this really be the right way out? Maybe, just maybe he's right, now that I know what's gonna happen. I look at Carol and Sophia, Lori and Carl. They were all crying. They didn't wanna die. I began to question myself. I jumped at the sound of a bottle shattering.

"Open the damn door!" I look up at Daryl who was way on the other side of the room by the sealed door. Jenner only looked at him. Shane grabs a pickax and runs to the door.

"Out of my way!" Shane begins to beat on the steal door. T-Dog throws Daryl an axe, he too begins to beat at the door. Jenner looks at us near him.

"You should've left well enough alone. It would have been so much easier."

"Easier for who?" Lori looks up at him from the floor, holding Carl tight.

"All of you. You know what's out their…a short, brutal life and an agonizing death." Jenner looks at Andrea "Your…your sister…what was her name?"

"Amy."

"Amy. You know what this doe. You've seen it." He looks up at Rick "Is that really what you want for your wife and son?" Rick leans forwarded to him.

"I don't want THIS." Daryl and Shane come back out of breath, tired from beating at a door that wont budge.

"We cant make a dent."

"Those doors are designed to withstand a rocket launcher." Daryl gets furious and grabs the axe.

"Yeah, well your head aint!" He charges at Jenner. Rick, T-Dog and Dale get a hold of him before he could get close to Jenner.

"Whoa! whoa! Daryl! Just back up, back up!" Rick spat.

"You do want this, last night you said you knew it was just a matter of time before everybody you loved was dead." Right as Jenner said that, made me realize. He's right. If I go back out their, its only a matter of time before Daryl dies. I don't want that. He's the only one I have left. I've been with him for so long I wouldn't know what to do without him.

"What part of "Everything is gone" do you not understand." I hear Andrea snap at Rick.

"Listen to your friend. She gets it. This is what takes us down. This is our extinction event." Jenner kept trying and trying to explain to Rick and the others to just give into it. Their was silence for a bit.

"This isn't right. You cant just keep us here." Carol pleaded, holding on to Sophia.

"One tiny moment…a millisecond. No pain."

"My daughter doesn't deserve to die like this." She pled crying her eyes out. I almost felt sorry for her.

"Wouldn't it be kinder, more compassionate to just hold your loved ones and wait for the clock to run down?" The more Jenner kept trying to convince everyone to stay. The more it was working on some of us. Myself included. A gun cock is heard from behind. Shane bursts through everyone and point the gun at Jenner. Inches form his face.

"Open that door or I'm gonna blow your head off. Do you hear me?!" Everyone that was around Jenner clears the area. Everyone but me. Gun's and hostility didn't scare me.

"Brother, brother, this is not the way you do this. We will never get out of here." Rick tries to reason with Shane. He ignores him with wide eyes looking at Jenner.

"Shane, you listen to him." Lori adds.

"Its to late."

"He dies, well all…" Before Rick could finish his sentence. Shane screams at the top of his lungs. He point the gun at the workstations next to me and begins unloading on it. It was only a matter of time before Rick grabs the gun trying to wrestle it out of Shane's grip. Eventually he does, knocking Shane on the floor.

"Are you done now? Are you done?" Rick demanded.

"Yeah, I guess we all are." Shane spat. Their was silence in the room once again. Rick gave the gun to T-Dog to keep away from Shane. Rick looked at each and every one of us.

"I think your lying." He turns to look at Jenner

"What?"

"Your lying about no hope. If that were true, you'd have bolted with the rest or taken the easy way out. You didn't. You chose the hard path. Why?"

"Its doesn't matter." He brushes it off.

"It does matter. It always matters. You stayed when others ran. Why?"

"Not because I wanted to. I made a promise…" Jenner points at the big screen "To her. My wife."

"Test subject 19 was your wife?" Lori answered. A promise. The promise I made to Amy. What the hell am I doing? What am I thinking, to stay here and take the easy way out. I promised Amy and the others that I will fight for as long as I can. And what about Daryl? Was I seriously just gonna leave him alone in this hell. The one thing I didn't wanna do to him. I look up towards the door and see him banging at the door with the axe. Even tough he was not making a dent. He was still not giving up. He wanted to live. Even if it was out their in hell. He wanted to live. And I had to be right their with him.

Without any warning, the steal door drops down reviling the hallway that led to the hallway.

"Come on!" Daryl yelled out. He picks up his bag and axe. Without hesitation, everyone gathers their belongings and heads to the door. This was it. The moment of truth. After being back at safety. It was time to face the cruel world out their. I see Daryl look at me dead in the eyes.

"Come on lets go!" I could tell he was screaming at me since I hadn't moved from my spot. As much as he didn't want to show it. He was pleading me to follow everyone else. I begin to walk towards their direction.

"Theirs your chance. Take it." I hear Jenner say.

"I'm grateful."

"The day will come when you wont be." I stop in my tracks. I sure hope he's wrong about that one.

"Hay, we've got four minutes left! Come On!" Glenn yelled out at the ones that still remained still. I feel a push from Rick.

"Lets go." The both of us reach everyone still waiting by the door. T-Dog leads Jacqui up to the hallway.

"Lets go, Jacqui." She releases herself from T-Dog's grip.

"No, no, I'm staying. I'm staying sweeite." T-Dog and I stop and look at her.

"But that's insane!" T-Dog tries to get a hold of her, but she backs away.

"No, its completely sane. For the first time in a long time. I'm not ending up like Jim and Amy."

"Jacqui no." I try to plead to her.

"There's no time to argue and no point, not if you want to get out. Just get out. Get out." She looks at T-Dog and me with teary eyes.

"T-Dog. Come on, man. Come on! Lets go!" Shane grabs T-Dog and begin to walk out to the hallway.

"Gwen." I hear Daryl trying to get my attention. I wrap my arms around Jacqui to give her one last good-bye.

"Thank you." I tell her. She looks at he and nodes, smiling. I fell Daryl grab my arm and pull me back.

"Gwen, Lets go!" I finally gibe in and follow everyone down the hallway. Since the elevator was out of power. We were al forced to run as fast as we can up the stairway.

* * *

Finally we had made out way back up to the surface. It was daylight out. Glenn ad T-Dog try to open the doors we came in from, but they did not budge. Daryl and Shane begin to bang at the glass, hoping to will break. No suck luck ether on that. T-Dog grabs an aluminum chair and tries to break it with that. Again, nothing.

"T-Dog get down! Get Down!" Shane loads him shot gun and blasts at the window. The bullet only chipped the thick glass.

"The glass wont break?" Sophia looked at me. I didn't know what to say.

"Rick, I have something that might help." Carol walks up to Rick with her bag.

"Carol, I don't think a nail files gonna do it." Shane looked at her, being a complete smart-ass about it. She pulls out a grenade and hands it to Rick.

"Your first morning at camp, when I washed your uniform. I found this in your pocket." Rick takes the grenade and heads to the window.

"Look out!" I yell. Everyone takes cover away from the window. The grenade goes off with a loud bang. The blast broke though the window. A few moments after the small but loud blast, everyone gets to their feet and gathers their belongings. We all then bolt out the window. Everyone that had guns began to shoot at walkers that were to close. As we ran back to the cars. I helped in slashing walkers with my machete. Daryl decapitated a walker with his ax as we finally reached the cars. Daryl and I got in. within a matter of second someone upfront honks their horn. I look out the window and see Andrea and Dale running out at the last minute. In the nick of time they take cover behind a bunch of sandbag barriers. Daryl sees the fire emerge form the building and yanks me down.

"Get down!" An extremely loud blast is heard. Indicating that the CDC decontaminated. The shock wave went right though all the cars, pushing them back a bit. After about 5 minutes of silence. Daryl and I rise up and look at what once was the CDC. Panting still out of breath. We look at one another for a moment. I must say. I am grateful that I made the right decision. The question now is, what lies ahead?


End file.
